The Missing Name
by Clickgeniera
Summary: This story is part of the Halloween challenge. It explains why nobody can recognize the man under the mask. It starts when he is only a child.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: This story is based on New World Zorro series. Original stories and characters___ rights belong to Zorro productions. Some of the characters and most of the story is original. I don´t make any profit with this work.__

__This story is part of Halloween Challenge.__ Reviews are welcome.__

__Summary. We have all wondered about the fact nobody can __recognize__ Diego under the mask. Maybe there is a non-conve__nt__ional explanation and Diego has capacities and abilities beyond our knowledge.__

**Chapter 1. Little dreamer.**

Doña Elena was carrying a basket with food, especially fresh fruits. Diego carried a smaller one with sewing tools. In spite of his youth his manner was serious, and his mother very often had to hide her smile.

The mission school was plenty of students. Native children were also welcome, and they could learn with haciendas worker´s children and villagers. Diego hardly ever was with them. He was four when he learned to read with his mother´s help. At his current age of eight he could read better than most adults and perform complex mathematical operations beyond final year students ability.

Padre Molina welcomed them. "Doña Elena. It's always a pleasure to see you."

Diego looked at his mother gravely and she knew what he was thinking. "You can go to play with them if you want to." Then she turned to the priest. "I heard from Maria that there are some sick people at the indian village, so we brought some fruits to help them I am sure they are not well-fed."

"I agree with you. Fortunately the rains have already started, but the drought has reduced the amount of fruits and berries they collect and I suppose it is possible they don´t have enough food. I am sure the fruit will be very helpful."

"We also brought needles and colored threats. I understand it´s difficult for them to get these materials."

"I´m afraid it´s true. Most itinerant traders don´t want to sell goods to them, and others try to banter with them and propose predatory pricing."

The adults were speaking and Diego reached out to the other children who were playing. One of them looked very bad. He had gray skin and he realized the whites of his eyes were yellow.

"Do you feel well?" asked Diego.

"Of course I feel all right."

"You look quite ill. You should go to see the doctor."

Other boy turn to him. "He is looking better than you, weirdo."

Diego turned to Francisco, the tavern owners´ son. He knew him since he was born. "You don´t think he looks ill?"

"I´m sorry Diego, he looks well."

Diego looked at his mother, confused. He was told repeatedly by his parents that he shouldn´t speak about things the other people could not see, but he had believed Pedro´s sickly look was obvious to everyone. Then he realized one of indian children was staring at him, and he felt uneasy.

Doña Elena started looking for him, but when she looked around she could not locate him. "Diego, we are going home." she said in a high voice.

"I´m coming, madre," Diego answered very near her.

"So you are here, I couldn´t see you." she said quite startled. "Is everything all right?"

Diego nodded and they went to the wagon.

zzZzz

María, de la Vega´s cook was whispering with the maid in the living room. When Diego saw them he immediately knew something was wrong. Doña Elena walked up to him.

"Come with me. You need to change your cloths. We are going to the funeral of Alvarez family."

"I don´t understand. Who died?"

She looked at him with a deep sadness. "All of them did. They ate poisonous mushrooms that looked very much like other mushrooms they had been eating all their lives."

At the door of the church, don Alejandro was speaking with the doctor. They both looked very sad. "Don Eusebio, do not beat yourself up over this. We all know you couldn´t do anything to save them."

"I know, don Alejandro. These mushrooms damaged their livers so badly I couldn´t find a solution. I only could give them laudanum to help with the pain. Now I can not stop thinking about them.

Diego didn´t want to stay away from his mother. Some children were looking at him and whispering between them. "He said Pedro was sick."

De la Vega family sat in the second bench and his parents talked to other caballeros and their wives. Many other children came to the mass, wearing their black cloths, but none of them were as grim as Diego.

zzZzz

Diego went to bed and his mother went to say goodnight.

"It was a difficult day, but now they rest in peace."

"I´m sure about that, madre, at least they went together, as a family. They didn´t leave anyone behind."

"I´m relieved to hear that, but remember you must not say things like this in front of other people."

"Yes, I know I can only speak with you."

"It´s all right cariño. Buenas noches." she kissed his forehead. "You were very brave today."

"Thank you madre. Good night."

zzZzz

Doña Elena met her husband in the library. He had a drink in his hand and she looked at it, but she didn´t say a word about it.

He looked tense, and when he spoke, he did it reprouchfully. "There are rumors again."

"I know, but they will soon pass, like all the other times."

"He knows not to speak about the things he can see. I told him hundreds of times."

"He saw a sick child and told him to see the doctor. He only wanted to help him. What else could he do? Do you think he could just ignore it? How could he know what was happening?

"Maybe you are right, It´s just that..."

"Say it already. You think it´s my fault because his gift comes from my family."

"A gift? It´s more of a curse. He will go crazy."

"He is a lot stronger than what you think. If we support him he will learn what he must do. I can help him."

"He must learn to ignore what he sees."

"I don´t think he can do it. You will make him stop trusting everybody else, including you. He could learn to hide his secrets, but he can not stop being what he is."

Don Alejandro glared at her. "You seem proud of him." They looked into one other's eyes for several seconds. "Don't you ever doubt that for a second." she said. He looked away and she added "I should better go to bed. Goodnight."

zzZzz

Doña Elena was buying some goods in the market and an indian woman approached her.

"I wanted to thank you the fruits and other stuff you sent us."

"It was my pleasure to help you."

The other woman stared at the señora for a moment, she looked a little hesitant.

"Can I do anything else for you?"

"Not for me, but maybe you could do something for your son." she said in a low voice.

"What do you mean?"

Our wise man has heard things about him and he wants to know him."

Señora de la Vega though for a while. "I can go the day after tomorrow to take you more supplies. I will ask Diego if he wants to come with me, but I will not make that decision for him."

The indian women nodded. "I will say it to the wise man."

zzZzz

"I will go to the indian village tomorrow. I wold like Diego to go with me."

"It´s all right, but take Juan and Ernesto with you. The roads can be dangerous."

"The indians wouldn´t hurt us."

"I think so, but I don´t want to take the risk."

She went to the garden and found Diego playing there.

"Diego. Do you want to come with me to take food and clothes to the indian people?"

"Of course I´m coming. I will change my shoes."

Diego and his mother took the wagon. The two men were riding a little behind them.

"The wise man wants to know you. He might be able to help you with your abilities."

"Can I tell him the things I see?"

"I want you to decide what you want to tell him or not. I think we can trust him, but I´m not completely sure."

They arrived to the village about half an hour later. Some of the women asked the two vaqueros for assistance and doña Elena thought they wanted to distract them. A man approached them, he looked old but still strong.

"So this is the little dreamer." He looked at Diego, and the boy found his gaze intense but not threatening.

"I think you mistake me for someone else."

"I think you see things only a few people can see, and you've been getting into quite a bit of trouble.."

The child´s expression changed from distrust to surprise. "You can see them too?"

"I can, and not all the things I see are bad. If you listen to the spirits they can tell you many secrets." Diego thought his smile was fascinating.

zzZzz

"I don´t understand why you think is good for Diego to stay so much time with the indian people. He will end up looking like a savage."

"You don´t need to worry about it. He is too much of a gentleman. They think it´s funny the way he speaks."

"Oh, very well, now they also laugh at him."

"But ever since he started going there to teach them to read and count he feels useful. Don´t you realize he is more confident? I think it´s good for him."

"I must admit he has improved as a rider, I was amazed the other day. It´s all right, he can keep going, but he must not neglect his studies.

zzZzz

Diego didn´t stop the horse before turning to wave goodbye. Soon he was out of sight behind the dust of cloud left behind by his horse. The old man just stared ahead and spoke.

"I will continue teaching him everything I know." He used a calmed and firm tone of voice.

The man next to him was a warrior. He spoke containing his fury. "This boy is not one of us. His father is a soldier."

"Yes, he is not of our people, but he is like me. He has been touched by spirits. His guiding spirit is powerful. He has barely begun to learn and he knows more than many of the warriors. He could track the wounded horse through the rocky ground."

"It was impossible. There were no prints on the rocks. He was lucky."

"He didn´t use his eyes, but he believes he did. The spirits guided him, the same way they do when he fights, helping him to avoid the blows."

"You shouldn´t teach him our secrets."

"It´s my decision. The little dreamer stays. Maybe you will understand one day."


	2. Chapter 2

_I know this chapter is very sad, but it´s necessary in the story. Don´t lose heart, I promise not all the chapters are so gloomy. I think the fun starts in chapter 4._

**Chapter 2. It was only a dream.**

His father came to his room in the morning. Diego knew what he was going to say, but it didn´t make it hurt any less. Part of his mind didn´t want to admit the truth, so he didn´t dare to ask. He thought hearing it will make it more real.

"Your mother has left us. Now she rests."

"What about my sister?" asked Diego without thinking.

Don Alejandro looked at him oddly, but he felt so hurt about to loose his wife and his baby daughter that he didn´t care about Diego knew the baby was a girl. "She didn´t survive either. We are alone."

His eyes stung with tears, but he didn´t want his father to see him crying. He knew he wanted a strong son, so he didn´t cry, although all he wanted was to be hugged and express his sorrow. Don Alejandro went quietly and Adela, the maid, went into the room and helped Diego to wear his mourning clothes.

His breakfast got cold in front of him. He could hear people moving into the house, but he wasn´t allowed to leave the dining room. Two hours later he smelled wax candles and he started feeling a little dizzy. He closed his eyes for a moment and the candles smell mixed with the scent of roses, that reminded him his mother´s favorite perfume. He thought he heard whispers and a crying baby.

ZzZzz

"I want to say goodbye to her." he repeated for the third time.

"It´s better if you don´t see her now. You will be able to remember her the way you saw her last, loving and happy." Diego understood by the tone of his father´s voice that there was no use insisting. He had to settle for a glimpse of the coffin that stayed in the library.

He went into the corridor, unable to contain his tears any longer, but when he was at his room´s gate, he felt a strong impulse to go to his parent´s bedroom. He could hear voices through the door, and for a moment he froze. Finally, he turned the doorknob. The room was empty, but when he looked to the window, he seemed to see something moving, a blur in the corner of his eye. For a brief moment the candle and rose scent smell intensified. Diego was breathing hard, without daring to turn his head.

"My daughter… baptism..." he heard in a whisper.

"Doña Elena, your girl is dead. I can´t do anything for her." answered padre Molina´s voice.

He heard some steps in the corridor and Adela, the maid, went into the room. "You shouldn´t be here." she said softly. "I will take you to your bed."

zzZzz

Time seemed to pass very slowly. Diego continued with his lessons, and he often took refuge in his books. He could forget about what was happening when he was reading, and he had to be called for dinner more than twice frequently.

He was anxious on All Hallow´s Eve. His father realized it was past his bedtime and sent him to his bedroom. Diego had tried to stay reading for long. He wanted to get very tired before going to bed, so he could sleep immediately, but it didn´t word. He laid on his bed with his eyes open, and he thought he saw shadows moving along the walls and the ceiling. He closed his eyes and in the dark behind his eyelids he could see a tall, slim figure walking along a dark corridor. He felt a strange smell in the room, sweet and a bit sour. Diego could not recognize it.

Don Alejandro woke up startled and saw his son´s slim frame in front of the open door.

"Diego. What are you doing here?"

"Madre is calling her, but I cannot understand her name."

Don Alejandro was very worried. It had been years since the last time he walked in his sleep. He lit a candle and went to him. His eyes were wide, and he could see he had lost weight over the past few months. His face looked too thin for his big blue eyes, that stared at something nobody else could see.

"The baby is crying. I can hear her."

The old man´s eyes filled with tears.

"Come with me. You must go back to bed."

He took his son to his bedroom with a gentleness that didn´t seem like him. He touched one of his feet when he helped him to bed and could feel its coldness. He touched his forehead and he realized the boy had a fever.

zzZzz

The doctor examined Diego, but apart from a slight fever, he didn´t have more symptoms. He was surprised that he didn´t insist to get out of bed. A few months before, it would have been difficult to keep him in his room, but now it looked like his strength had abandoned him.

Don Alejandro offered the doctor a drink at the library.

"I don´t think this fever will last, in my opinion, he is just tired."

"He has no reason to be tired, he does little else than read books and stay in the garden doing nothing."

"He is usually tired at this time of year."

"Please speak straight, doctor."

"Maybe padre Molina could be of more help."

zzZzz

Diego got up from the bed in the evening. Don Alejandro was working with the books of the hacienda.

"Are you feeling better?"

Diego nodded. "Are you going to visit my mother tomorrow, after the mass for the dead." His father did not answer. "I want to go with you."

"It´s not a good place for you."

"Other children go to the cemetery to visit their relatives. I want to go to see mine."

"There are only tombs there. They are not in this place." Don Alejandro cried blunter than he had intended.

"I think she wants to tell me something. I saw her last night."

"It was only a dream. We talk about this before."

zzZzz

Don Alejandro and Diego went to the mass for the dead. They both wear black clothes, mourning doña Elena´s dead. After the mass don Alejandro asked Diego to wait for him out of the church while he talked to the priest.

Some women were chatting in the square. One of them had a baby in her arms. A black-haired girl was looking at the baby without daring to talk to its mother, but the young woman saw her and asked.

"Do you want to hold the baby a little bit?"

The girl´s eyes widened and she nodded enthusiastically. The mother let her take the baby and she did it very gently, singing a little tune Diego didn´t recognize. He approached them with curiosity and he noticed a peculiar smell that was familiar to him.

The girl looked at him defiantly, thinking he was seeing something wrong with her. "What are you looking at?"

"The baby, it smells weird."

She smiled. "No, she doesn´t smell weird, she smells like a baby. Trust me, they can smell much worse."

"I suppose you are right. I never was near a baby before."

The baby´s mother saw Diego near them and she bent down to take her child, trying to pretend she wasn´t concerned, and went to her house.

"I must go with my parents." Suddenly she remembered something. "I´m sorry for your loss." said with a tone of a child who is repeating a line learned from her elders.

"Thank you, Victoria, you are very kind." Diego answered politely.

Don Alejandro waited until everyone was out of the church before speaking with the padre.

"I am very worried about Diego. It has been years since he had looked this way. He was sleepwalking yesterday and he thought he could see her."

"It is only natural that his recent loss had affected him. Perhaps we should move up his confirmation ceremony to help him to avoid his visions."

"They are only dreams."

"If you believed that you wouldn´t be here talking to me."

"He says he wants to go and see her tomb."

"There is nothing wrong with it. I can go with you and say a prayer for her in front of her grave. This way I can see for myself what is happening." Don Alejandro seemed to hesitate, but he finally agreed.

Padre Molina and Diego climbed into the carriage and don Alejandro drove back to the hacienda, because he had planned to leave his son there before going to the cemetery with some flowers. When they arrived, Maria had some roses and offered it to don Alejandro. Every year, she prepared them so don Alejandro could take them to his parents´ tombs, but this year there was a new one and the bouquet was bigger.

"Thank you, María."

The cemetery of whitewashed walls was on a hill south of the village. The three de la Vega´s tombs were together, in the area reserved for the landowners and their families. It was the first time Diego was visiting this place after his mother´s dead. Don Alejandro gave him some flowers to leave in front of the gravestone.

Elena Gracián (1)

The priest was mumbling a prayer, and Diego could feel the familiar smell of candles and roses. He saw a human figure with his peripheral vision. He froze again. He could hear a whisper behind him.

Don Alejandro was still staring at the gravestone, but padre Molina realized Diego was rigid. "Hijo. Are you feeling well?"

Diego touched the gravestone with his fingertips. "There is a missing name."

Don Alejandro said sharply. "What are you talking about?"

"My sister´s name is missing. She is also buried here. Why her name is not on the gravestone?"

"She never had got a name. She was born dead."

"That´s not true. She opened her eyes. Sometimes I can hear her crying."

"That´s enough, Diego!" said his father, furious but without rising his voice, afraid that someone could hear him. "You cannot hear her. She is dead, and I forbid you to speak about her again!"

"Please, don Alejandro, allow me to speak with him alone."

"Not here. Come to the hacienda with us."

When they got the library, don Alejandro made sure that all the servants were far away. He poured himself a cup of brandy and he went away to give them some privacy."

"I think he hates me" Diego said sadly.

"That´s not true. He is scared and worried because he can´t understand what happens to you."

"I don´t understand it, either. I try to ignore them, and most of the time I can do it, but every year they come back to whisper to me."

"Diego, you must let them go. The deceased must rest in peace. I advise you not to tell anyone. In a few months you will receive the sacrament of Confirmation, and this should help you."

zzZzz

Don Alejandro was surprised when he heard Diego playing piano. It had only been a few days since he had started practicing again, and he thought he was playing even better than before. Nevertheless, there was something strange about the music, something than just didn´t fit.

"It´s late, my child. We must travel to Monterrey tomorrow for your Confirmation. You should go to bed now."

"Sí, padre." Diego said closing the piano lid and keeping the scroll. And that´s when don Alejandro realized what had happened.

"This piece is a duet."

"Yes, it is. I was practicing my part. I would like to play it with you some day."

"But it sounds like…" don Alejandro shook his head and didn´t finish the sentence. "Yes, we will play it together. Good night."

Diego finished tidying up and stayed a little bit near the piano.

"I know that from tomorrow I won´t see you again. I will miss talking and playing the piano with you."

"You don´t know that for sure. I am convinced that you can feel me when you need me, although it is possible that we cannot speak as we are doing now."

"I don´t want to lose you again, madre."

"You mus obey your father. He loves you, and he wants to protect you the only way he knows. I think it will be better for you. The wise man can continue teaching you and you will progress slowly. Remember I will always be with you."

Note:

(1) Diego´s mother surname never was mentioned in the series, so I chose one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3. The spirit guide.**

"María, did you see Diego?"

"I saw him early this morning. He asked me a packed lunch."

"I wonder what must be going through his head. I didn´t want him to go out just today. I always knew that no good would come from his visits to the indian village."

"I´m sorry, señor, I thought you knew it."

"Don´t worry, it´s not your fault."

Don Alejandro went to the stables. Most of his men were moving the cattle to the southern grass. Only two of them were taking care of the horses.

"Juan. Did you see Diego this morning?"

"Sí, señor. He left early."

"Where did he go?"

"He went North, señor."

"Are you sure? I thought he was going to the indian village."

"I´m sure he was heading North. I thought he had to run an errand in Santa Paula."

Adela approached to the stables. "The teacher is here, señor."

"Tell him to go away, because it looks like Diego took a day off without asking anyone."

Adela looked at him with awe.

"Don´t worry Adela, I will go and tell him."

"Good morning, don Alejandro. Is Diego coming soon?"

"I have no idea. It looks like you have a day off."

"I find it strange, because we were speaking about trigonometry yesterday and he looked very interested about it."

"But you can see, he wasn´t in the mood for mathematics today. He´s got it coming when I see him."

"Don´t be so hard with him, don Alejandro. He is being a model student. He is very interested in science, looks like he wants to know the cause of natural events. At this rate, he will know more than his teachers when he will go to the University next year. I would like to go now, if you don´t mind. I was going to travel this afternoon to meet my family, but if I can leave now I will be with my parents at lunch time."

"Of course, you can go now. Don´t worry about the lesson."

"I´m sure Diego will come back soon. I remember he was distracted last year. He has to miss his mother very much these days."

"Of course, we all miss our loved ones. Have a nice travel."

Diego used to go to the indian village when he wanted to rest from his responsibilities, but this day he just wanted to be alone and rode northward for almost two hours. He traveled at a good pace, taking care not to tire the horse. He soon reached a hilly area with sparse vegetation, some drought-tolerant shrubs. He had not seen another person since he left the hacienda, so he was surprised to see a man alone on the road.

The man turned to see him, and Diego recognized him immediately. He had Indian physical features, and his clothes were worn. It was difficult to estimate his age, because his face was wrinkled and he had white hair, but his frame and the way he was moving suggested a man in his prime.

"Look what we have here. A young dreamer."

"It´s been a long time since I saw you. I thought we would never meet again."

"It´s because white men´s rites. Their protection is effective against bad spirits, but they also avoid contact with the good ones. But nevertheless there are two days a year when the gates are open and you can see those who have left. Rites cannot change who you are, you made a detour east instead of traveling straight north."

"I have just strolled, I don´t care about the way."

"Of course you care. You avoided crossing some lands that were sacred to the people who lived here more than five hundred years ago. Those who charted this path didn´t know, but you did."

"I know nothing about sacred lands. It was a coincidence."

"I see you try to shape your mind with science, you are looking for explanations for everything you find, but there are things that cannot be explained this way."

Diego stared at him without answering.

"You should go back home. Your parents are waiting for you."

"My father probably is, to scold me for leaving without telling him. I don´t think my mother expects anything from me. Probably she went on her way years ago."

"Your mother still needs you, but you can not hear her, and you cannot help her. Your father is even more deaf than you. Despite all, they both are part of you."

"I cannot face them while my father is denying everything. Maybe it´s better to give up this part of me and focus on science."

"You should find your own path, but you will need the old-world magic to counter your faith´s rites. If you look hard enough, maybe you can find your guide. It will lead you to the masters you need."

"I don´t know what you are talking about"

"We, the dreamers, can have a guide. Sometimes is a person, other times is an animal. It´s something we can see out of the corner of our eye when we are lost. When you see a shadow. What is the first thing you think you are seeing?"

"It´s something foolish." Diego said awkwardly.

A sudden movement caught his eye, and he thought he could see a little animal running to take shelter in the shrubs, but it has been just a cloud of dust moved by the wind.

"What is the first thing you saw?" the old man asked.

"A fox." He said to himself. When he turned his head there was nobody on his side.

Diego turned around and rode south-west to the indian village. He knew he would be welcome there and nobody would be scared about his visions.

zzZzz

"Dreamer, you owe me a fight."

"It´s not a good day, Kobau. We should better fight next time I come."

"Today is a great day. The spirits are everywhere and maybe they disturb you and you will not have the advantage."

"That´s right. Give me a stick." he said, sliding down the horse.

The two young men started making circles while they observed one another. Almost immediately, many of the people get near, but at a safe distance look at the fight. The clacking of the sticks quickened, until the sticks were only blurs.

The indian boy could hit him on his leg, but he had to adopt an awkward position. Diego could overcome the pain and turned his stick, prying his opponent´s weapon and making it fly. They both were gasping for air.

"You win. Again."

"Maybe next time."

"Yes, sure."

A middle-aged woman offered him a skin with water, and Diego gratefully accepted it.

"Did you see the wise man?"

"I did. He is in the sacred lands, about three leagues north of here."

"I know the place. It´s a good one. If you see him again tell him we honor him and he is in our songs and in our hearts."

"I will."

Diego sat on the floor in the shade of a little tree, and the children come to him to listen a story he was reading.

zzZzz

The sun was beginning to descend to the hills when he rode his horse and he headed back to the hacienda. He was sure he will have a good amount of bruises the next day, but he was hoping to hide them to his father.

He decided to stop at a bend in the river before going home. It was a lonely place, because it was far from the village enough to discourage the people to go there. He was surprised when he saw a petite woman sat on one of the rocks in the shade of a willow. She turned her face when she heard the sound of hooves, and Diego dismounted.

"I´m sorry, I didn´t want to disturb you."

"No, it´s all right, you are not disturbing me." She said sadly. "Do you come here often?"

"I come from time to time, when I don´t want to be found."

She nodded and smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"I´m sorry about your loss." he said.

She looked at him with misty eyes. She had heard these words many times in recent weeks, but this was the fist time they sounded honest.

"My father is not the same. He only thinks about finding the men who killed her and take revenge. My brothers also want to leave and fight."

"Against whom?"

When she looked at him she remembered something her mother said about him, that he looked like an old man even when he was a child.

"I´m not sure, and I think they neither are." She stared at him, and he thought she wanted to say something, but she didn´t dare.

"Do you want to ask me something?" he asked softly.

"Some people say that you can…" she looked away from him.

"Speak with those who are not longer with us?"

She nodded without looking at him. He didn´t sound offended when he spoke.

"I could, or I thought I could hear them when I was a child, but not now. I didn´t hear them since my mother died."

"I didn´t mean to insult you."

"You didn´t." Diego looked at her, and his first instinct was to hide his gift, but he wanted to comfort her, because she never despised him. "Can you keep me a secret?"

"Of course." she said, looking back at him.

"Sometimes I still can hear them."

"Aren´t you afraid of them?"

"I never see they hurt anybody. The living is the dangerous people."

"I suppose you are right."

"I know part of them is still alive, and I also know they still love us."

Diego looked to the horizon to give Victoria the opportunity to dry the tears from her face. He saw a shadow, a fox running into the rocks east of them. When he looked carefully, he saw a crouched man, hiding from them and staring. He avoided eye contact and he thought the man didn´t realize he had seen him.

In a casual way, he asked Victoria. "Do you want me to go to the village with you?"

"It´s all right, but. Won´t you be late?. Your father could get angry with you."

"I´m already late, and I am sure my father is also angry, so I don´t care if he gets even a little bit more mad at me."

"That´s not very sensible."

"I know I am supposed to be sensible, but if I am all day long I get tired, and it´s also very boring."

She couldn´t suppress a giggle.

They walked in silence almost all the way to the village, Diego´s horse behind them. When they got the tavern Diego heard a soft whisper, a woman´s pleading voice.

"Our children need you. You can not give up."

Francisco, Victoria´s brother, just arrived and he greeted Diego while he tied his horse to the post. Diego couldn´t hear the voice, but when silence returned, he could do it again. "You must listen to me. You can not leave her alone. If you go away you will die far from home. Stay with her, don´t waste your life."

Diego walked near the tavern and felt a familiar smell, the pie that señora Escalante used to bake. It took all the focus he could muster not to startle when she whispered in his ear. "I know you can hear me."

Diego turned to Victoria. "Good evening, I´m going home."

"Good evening. I see you another day." She entered the tavern and started cleaning the tables. Diego could hear her father scolding her for leaving, but she didn´t answere and continued to clean the room.

Victoria´s mother spoke again, with a firm tone of voice that reminded him of Victoria´s. "Stop pretending, Diego. I need to talk to someone."

"I´m sorry, señora Escalante. I cannot help you." he answered, looking at the floor and moving his lips as little as possible. "Tomorrow I will stop hearing you, but even if I talked to your family, they would not listen to me. People never do."

"At least promise me to take care of her."

"I will do my best."

He decided to go to the barracks before going home.

"Good evening, don Diego."

"Good evening, corporal Mendoza. I was riding near the river bend and I saw a man who was behaving oddly. Maybe you could go to check him before dusk."

"I will send two men. Thanks for the warning."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4. The old world.**

"Where are you going now? I told you that you´ve got to finish packing this evening."

"The packing is finished now, and I want to say goodbye to Indian people."

"All right, but come back before dusk. It´s dangerous to wander around in the night."

"Sure, I won´t be long."

zzZzz

The Indian woman looked at him with a serene gaze in her dark eyes. She offered him a small pot with a cork

"This ointment will help you to heal your bruises."

"I don´t know if I will need it in the place I go. I wasn´t planning on getting into fights."

"This place you call civilization can be very dangerous."

"Maybe you are right. I will take it with me. I also want to ask you something."

"Ask whatever you want, dreamer."

"A friend of mind is running the tavern in Los Angeles. I´m afraid she can not protect herself if somebody tries to hurt her. Could any of the women teach her to use a knife without anyone else knowing?"

"I will send Teresa. She is christened and your people are not so distrustful of her. I will never understand why they feel a strong woman is something bad."

"Thank you."

"You are welcome. I suppose you don´t want her to know it was your idea."

"You are very clever. You are right, I prefer it this way."

zzZzz

Don Alejandro checked his luggage for the sixth time.

"Padre, I have everything I need, and if I need anything else I will buy it there. I´m going to Madrid (1), not to the jungle in Perú."

"I can not get used to the idea that you are staying away more than four years."

"I will miss you too, but it is an excellent opportunity to study there. The chair in experimental physics is making big progress in the study of electromagnetism. I am looking forward to meeting uncle Joaquín in person. (2)"

"He lives in the same hall of residence you will be. I want you to be discreet, it´s not tasteful to boast your uncle is the professor. You could awake the envy in other students, and you will be almost alone there."

"I wasn´t planning on telling everyone around there. In any case he is your cousin, so he is only my second uncle. Isn´t he?"

"Yes, he is my aunt Rosalía´s son. She married Fernando García Laredo. I also sent letters to my cousins Francisco and Rogelio. Your uncle Leandro lives in Seville, and I wrote him a letter moths ago to ask him you to spend two weeks with him when you go ashore, before traveling to Madrid. Do you have the letter to sir Edmond? He agreed you can take the entrance examination for his fencing lessons."

Diego sighed. "Padre, you know I´m not interested about fighting."

"The world is dangerous. You need to know how to protect yourself and your family. I've always respected life, but I was a soldier and sometimes you have no choice but to take a life to protect others. At least, I expect you take the examination."

Diego decided to change the topic. "I´m worried about Felipe. Do you think he will get ahead? Sometimes you cannot communicate well."

"We shall endeavor. We will have no choice. Don´t worry, he will be all right. Now he can write and read, so we can use the written word if signs don´t work."

"Yes, he is a fast learner. It makes me think he wasn´t born deaf. I will consult a specialist about him, or maybe I could ask to the professor of Medicine."

Juan came to say the carriage was ready. Diego hugged his father.

"I will write to you as soon as I arrived there, but you know how long it takes to a letter to arrive from there."

Juan made him a question about one of the trunks, so Diego turned his head. He could see his father from the corner of his eye, but beside him, he saw a blur figure, a woman in a light yellow dress. He turned his head, and he saw her clearly for a moment. The familiar smell of candles and roses made him close his eyes. "Come back with us when you are ready." he heard in whispers.

zzZzz

Diego was sitting in the third row of the Aula Magna´s bleachers. The professor was calling the roll. "de la Vega Gracián." Diego stood up briefly and answered "Present". The professor looked at him for an instant and continued saying names. At the end of the lesson Diego fell behind the other students and went to the professor.

"You are finally here. I´m glad you arrived safe and sound all this way."

"I´m happy to be here, don Joaquín. I had the opportunity to see the laboratory and it exceeds my expectations."

"Yes, we are very lucky the equipment weren´t destroyed in the recent war, and I particularly am lucky to stay here as a professor. I could have lost my professorship when the Jesuit recovered this study centre (3). But we should better not discuss politics.

"I also prefer not, I just want to focus on my studies."

"I saw you didn´t enroll for a degree, but you chose subjects from different degrees.

"That´s because I don´t want to practice law or medicine here in Spain. I´m interested about gaining knowledge that will be useful in California, but I must admit I chose some subjects just because I think they are captivating."

"I understand. I´ll buy you lunch and I will introduce you to sir Edmond. Your father told me he was very keen you to learn with him. We will see if you can join his team, he is said to be very demanding with his pupils."

zzZzz

Diego took advantage of his height, and stayed in the second row to observe the first applicants for sir Edmond Kendall´s academy. There were three men on the patio at that time, following the master´s instructions.

He could perceive his opponents were nervous about the competition to get one of the ten available places. Some of them looked at him with suspicion, trying to guess if his height and complexion were evidence of his abilities.

A moving form on ground level got his attention for an instant. He thought he saw a fox running between the patio columns, right behind one of the applicants, but when he looked straight this way he could only see a jacket on the floor. He took a glance at the man there, who looked quite arrogant. He also felt a light candle and incense smell, but he thought it could come from San Isidro church, adjacent to San Fernando Royal Study Center.

Sir Edmond wasn´t calling the applicants in alphabetical order. Diego thought he had a reason to do it this way, but he could not guess it.

"Ramírez, de la Vega, Pedraza." sir Edmond said with authoritarian voice.

Diego walked to the front and went to the center of the patio. Sir Edmond looked at the three young men without making comments, and they each received a training sword."

"Stance." His two opponents adopt a perfect french stance, but Diego used a different one, with his trunk straightened, getting extra range. He could see some disdainful comments, but he had a lot of practice at ignoring disturbing murmurs.

"Walk, walk, lunge."

Sir Edmond continued giving instructions about the movements they must do. After a while he asked them to go back with the others and wrote something on the list. He called the three last candidates.

When the exercise finished, sir Edmond said some names, and these men stepped forward to the center of the patio.

"You can go now. Maybe you will have better luck next year."

Diego counted nineteen applicants at stake. Sir Edmond named them by twos to make them confront his pupils. Diego was attentive to the contenders movements. He thought that sir Edmond was looking at him from time to time, but he didn´t want to break his concentration to check.

Other eight applicants were rejected in the second round. The only two men will fight for the last place.

Sir Edmond called them and put them facing each other instead of calling two pupils.

Diego looked at his opponent. He was the man near the fox he saw before, and according his cloths and his posture he knew he was of noble birth. He was holding his sword easily, indicating that he had taken fencing lessons for a long time.

The master was giving them some instructions for a few minutes.

"You are well matched, so the first one who touches or disarms his opponent will have the place."

The other man smiled smugly. He started lunging, but Diego knew he was only testing him. His technique was much better than Diego´s, who only could learn with his father and didn´t practice with enthusiasm. He was a better fighter with a stick or hand to hand.

"Stop."

Diego stopped immediately, but the other man didn´t and hit Diego in his left wrist, making him a cut despite the sword wasn´t sharpened.

"Ramírez, I said stop." sir Edmond roared. "De la Vega, come here."

The applicants and pupils whispered. "Stop whispering. You are not wenches at the _gallinero_(4), but gentlemen."

Sir Edmond took Diego to a corner of the patio, bandaged his wrist with a handkerchief, and looked at him coldly. "Your fencing technique is more typical of an alley than of a fencing room, but that´s to be expected, knowing your father. Now just tell me why you are not doing your best with that jerk."

"Sir Edmond, forgive me, but I think his technique is better than mine."

"Listen to me, young man, don´t tell me what I already know. That little mister has reached the limits of his abilities, and you are still very raw, however you could beat him just using half your concentration here. I have the feeling that you have learned in two hours more than an average pupil can learn in three months. So don´t give me more excuses. What is your trouble?"

"I´m not interested in fighting. I abhor violence. I saw the consequences of the war, and I swore I will never take a life."

"That´s nice, we will have no trouble, señor de la Vega, because I want to teach my pupils not the way to kill their enemies, but the way to survive a fight using all available means. I assure you that I'm the most interested person in avoiding casualties during my lessons. What you will do with your knowledge later is your business, not mine."

Diego blinked, quite confused.

"And now go there, take that sword and make that squirt regret coming here. If I have to admit him in my academy I will be very disappointed. You got it?"

"Sí señor."

Diego stood in front of his opponent, adopting the same stance than before. The other man smiled smugly again, but when he started increasing the speed of his attacks, he saw he couldn´t break Diego´s defense. He tried a more difficult lunge, but Diego parried and riposted in a way Ramírez found very difficult to stop.

Fifteen minutes later the noble man started to get tired, while Diego just had suffered from the effort. Ramírez lunged hard, desperately trying to hurt Diego, but he moved to his side with a speed amazing for someone of his size, and with a riposte the other man´s sword flew. Sir Edmond caught the sword in the air before Ramírez, who looked furious, could take it. Diego realized then that the fight wasn´t over, and he was alert, so when his opponent attacked him with a dagger he could duck and hit him with the sword-guard. The hit made an unpleasant sound when his nose was broken.

Ramírez fell to the floor on one knee, holding his face between his hands. When he could look up with his eyes full of tears, the first thing he saw was the tip of a sword turned to his chest, and above it, Diego´s steely eyes.

Sir Edmond paid little attention to the man on the floor. "That´s all. We will start first thing Monday morning. Señor de la Vega, go to the dispensary to get this wound checked, and you go and make your nose correctly straighten or it will remain crooked." He stared gravely at Ramírez. "And don´t bother to try the entrance examination again."

Notes:

(1) If Diego de la Vega studied in Madrid and not in the near city of Alcalá de Henares, he could have gone to "Reales Estudios de San Isidro", where noble and rich people studied. They were in Toledo street, adjacent to San Isidro church. The building is a high school now.

(2) The king Charles III in 1767 expelled the Jesuits from all the territories of the Spanish crown. Los Reales Estudios became a public center and professors were appointed by competitive selection. Joaquín González de la Vega got the chair of experimental physics in 1791. His second surname was maternal surname, so I took the opportunity to say his mother was don Alejandro´s aunt, so he would be don Alejandro´s cousin and Diego´s second uncle.

(3) I could not check if after the war and the monarchical restoration, when the king Ferdinand VII returned the study center to the Jesuits, the professors could continue working there, but I supposed it was this way because I wanted a de la Vega there.

(4) Gallinero (hen-house) in a theater was a space on the first floor reserved for women and with popular prices.


	5. Chapter 5

**C****hapter 5. Desengaño street. (1)**

Diego spent the summer with some maternal relatives in Galician. He traveled back to Madrid in September to start his second year of university. He was admitted in the experimental physics laboratory.

"Be careful with this Leyden jar, don Diego. If you touch in the wrong place you will get a big surprise."

"Don´t worry, don Joaquín, I know what this device can do."

"I´m just kidding. It´s not charged."

Diego smiled, but he didn´t feel cheerful. It was just one week before the end of October, and it was difficult for him to spend these days away from home again, especially in such a crowded place.

"You should go out and have some fun. You look quite tired."

"I´m meeting some friends in Cava Baja."

"Be sure that you get back before the residence hall gates are closed, or you will have to sleep at the inn. Is your friend Almendrales going with you?"

"I´m afraid so."

"Try to avoid leaving him on the Posada de San Pedro´s floor this time. The university staff was laughing at him an entire week. You have a reputation for drinking less than your colleges, so I suggest you count before coming back."

"Yes, I´ll keep that in mind."

"Is it true that he swung from the chandelier?"

"Please, don´t remind me."

"It´s all right. I´ll see you on Monday."

"See you then, don Joaquín."

Diego left the building and pulled up the neck of his jacket. The wind was quite cold for the time of year, and he thought about going back to the hall to take a coat when he saw a shadow very close to the wall of the building across the street. It was the third time in a fortnight that he saw a fox running north in the street. When he looked in detail it was only a cat.

He continued walking the short distance to the tavern.

"Diego, we are here." Agustín called in a voice much louder than necessary.

"You should use warmer clothes. Since you come from a tropical place, you are not used to the cold weather."

"California is not in the tropics, and it´s also cold in the high zones in the winter."

"Really? Aren´t jungles there?"

"Maybe you are mistaken for Venezuela."

"No, Venezuela is in the Southern Hemisphere. It´s summer now there."

"Venezuela is in the Northern Hemisphere, but I doubt very much you know what an Hemisphere is right now. How many drinks did you have?."

"Do you think I´m drunk?"

"Yes, you only shout when you get drunk."

"It´s your fault, you weren´t here to tell me I need to stop. You know a need a nanny. Where were you?"

"I was helping don Joaquín at the laboratory."

"Only you can prefer a laboratory to a tavern."

Another friend turned to him. "Look, Diego, you can play the guitar. Why not you join the _tuna_ (2)?"

"I think that going from tavern to tavern dressed in some ridiculous black cloths and cloak is not very appealing. Thank you very much."

"You are always so stern. Have a drink, maybe you will cheer up a little."

Diego and another friend dragged Agustín back to the college, though Diego did most of the work, because Rodrigo was almost as bad as the other guy. As soon as they left the tavern Diego saw a pair of shining eyes looking at him before a shadow crept to Plaza Mayor (3).

zzZzz

Diego decided to go for a walk after the All Hallows mass. The day was quite cold, but there were no clouds, and the sky was bright blue after several cloudy days. He went back to Cava Baja and from there, he made his way to Cuchilleros street, where he saw the fox run. He climbed the stairs to Plaza Mayor, but after crossing the arch he didn´t know which way to go to leave the square. The place has been usually busy, but it was quiet at that early time. He walked north discreetly under the porches. Some of the buildings were being repaired, and when he looked at them, Diego was suddenly engulfed in smoke. He froze while a chaos of people ran and screamed around him. He tried to avoid making movements that could look suspicious to other people, that was lucky not to see a fire extinguished more that twenty years before.

His vision stopped and he could walk again. People didn´t seem to be interested in him, but he felt someone was looking at him. He took a few steps more and felt a faint incense smell. It wasn´t so unusual, because he thought he remembered some nearby churches, and when he reached the other side of the square the smell was stronger.

He went out to Mayor street and saw a shadow creeping to Bordadores, diagonal right from him. He followed it, went by the San Ginés church and got in front of the brick wall of Descalzas convent.

He walked around the building and continued making progress through a maze of streets lined with red brick houses. He tried to orientate himself using the most important buildings, mainly churches and convents, as a reference.

He stopped after a while. He was quite lost, although he knew he had walked Northeast. He saw a beggar and asked him. "Can you tell me which church is this?"

"Portaceli, señor." (4)

The street in front of him was almost empty, but he heard a familiar noise: clash of swords and men cursing. He turned around and could see a very different scene. It was night time, and in front of him there were two gentlemen, dressed with cloaks and hats. They were fighting a duel with a fencing technique he didn´t see before. Seeing their clothes and listening to their words, he thought they looked like actors from a Lope de Vega´s theater play.

"You will taste my steel." said one of them.

His opponent didn´t answer. He moved sideways and covered with his cloak to prevent the other men to see his next movement.

Something called Diego´s attention and he saw a female form, dressed in dark clothes and with her face covered with a white veil, coming from a nearby street. She passed in front of the contenders followed by a small fox. The men looked as amazed as Diego, and after exchanging a glance, they followed her. They reached her in a few steps, but when she turned to them, they could see that under the veil her face was cadaverous and dry.

"Death comes to visit us, curse!"

"Are we fighting about this?. What a disappointment!"

A voice made him come out of his vision all of a sudden.

"Señor de la Vega?"

Diego looked and found one of the professors. _I've really done it this time._ He thought.

I´m afraid we haven't been introduced, señor. He said, trying to keep a straight face, and hiding that he felt quite dizzy from his abrupt return to reality.

"I am Benito Aparicio, professor of Hebrew and Aramaic Studies. I don´t have the pleasure to have you in my class, but if I´m not mistaken, you are don Joaquin´s relative."

"That´s right, I am Diego de la Vega. Nice to meet you."

Don Benito pointed to the woman beside him. She was an attractive woman in her mid-thirties, with dark eyes and brown hair. She was elegantly dressed, and her clothes indicated she was an upper-class lady. "Allow me to introduce doña Francisca Portillo, widow of Martín Rivero."

Diego greeted her politely, and she smiled at him. Then she regarded the young man curiously.

"Please, tell me, don Diego. What was this interesting thing you were looking at when we arrived here?

"I´m afraid I was only distracted thinking about the last experiments related to electricity. It´s not something very appealing unless you are familiar with the advancements in physics."

"Strange as it may seem, I could be interested in that conversation, if it weren´t for the fact that you are lying blatantly. So, tell me. Did you see them all, two gentlemen and the dead lady, or just some of them?."

Diego pretended he wasn´t understanding what she said. "A dead lady? Are you talking about ghosts?"

"Yes, I am. And it's been a long time since someone could see them so clearly. Something made them be more focused than usual, and I think this fact is related to you. There was even a little animal following her, and it has happened before, but it´s unusual. Could you see it too?"

Looking at Diego´s attitude, the professor spoke. "You can continue denying everything or maybe you can tell us and trust that we are not going about telling people. They might also consider us insane, after all."

Diego was hesitating, but while he was looking front he could see his little guide spirit getting near the woman and sniffing her. She looked down quite puzzled, but she said nothing. Diego decided to answer her question.

"I saw a fox, but I don´t know if it means something because I can see it with some frequency."

"In this case the legend mentions a fox, and if you can see one frequently, I don´t think it is a coincidence." she said. "I invited some friends to dinner in four days. Do you want to join us so we can discuss this matter in a less conspicuous place?"

"I am also invited. We could go together from the residence hall. I was walking doña Francisca home and I was going to go back to San Isidro. You can come with us or return on your own."

"I would prefer to go with you. The last time that I went so far from the university I ended up near the wall and I had to ask about Toledo gate. I would be pleased to accept your invitation, doña Francisca."

She smiled again. "Do you prefer to keep out of Plaza Mayor?. The last fire there resulted in several casualties, and some of them are still around there. There are also some people executed there at various times. I know an apparition-free route."

"I ´d really appreciate it."

zzZzz

Diego went to the church again the next day. In the mass for the dead, he prayed for all his lost relatives. He remembered his grandparents, but he was thinking specially about his mother and his sister, the unnamed child buried with her. He was about getting out the pew when a voice greeted him. "Good morning, señor."

Diego had to struggle between the impulse to greet her, imposed by his good manners, and the need to avoid other people realized he was speaking to himself. The lady beside him chuckled and the sound made strange echoes in the church, that only Diego could hear.

"Yesterday I didn´t have the chance to greet you. It´s been a long time since we had some visits in Desengaño street." (5)

Diego pretended he was still praying. He gathered up his courage and turned his head slightly to look at her. He expected a dry corpse, and sighted in relief when he saw her. "You look much better today."

"You are very kind. I appeared to those two irresponsible pinheads to show them beauty is passing. They said they loved the same woman, but they didn´t know anything about her other than she was beautiful. Finally, none of them married her."

"Why did you want to stop them from dueling?"

"The man I loved and his best friend died in a fight for my hand. I tried to avoid this other woman to suffer the same pain I felt. I think you don´t need me to remind you that life is a precious gift, too valuable to waste it."

"You are right. I know life is fragile."

"That is to your credit. I also know you are worried about someone can discover your secret, but I want to tell you that you have several gifts, and one of them is a veil."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You should ask your new friends, they can explain you better than me. I must go now. Thanks for talking to me. It had been centuries since I had so much fun."

"My pleasure."

_Notes:_

_(1) __Disappointment__ street. Calle Desengaño is a real street in Madrid._

_(2) "__La t__una" is a brotherhood of students. They wear black clothes and cloaks with colored ribbons, embroidered by their admirers. They play musical instruments and sing in exchange of money or food and drinks._

_(3) Ferdinand VII changed Plaza Mayor name to Plaza Real on 1815, and it recovered its old name 5 years later, but I don´t think people __liked__ the new name._

_(4) This church is San Martín de Tours today._

(5) Desengaño legend was created in the XVIth century, and gives its name to the street. There is a nameplate on the wall with a drawing that shows the corpse lady and two gentlemen. Some versions of the legend include a fox.

_(6) __I walked from San Isidro to Desengaño street, since I didn´t have a spirit guide, I needed to use the phone´s GPS._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. Initiation.

"It is the last straw. He´s just ascended the throne and _el rey felón_ (1) has given good reason to start a revolt. He has even restored the Inquisition. I would say that we would have done better with the French."

"Don Anselmo, I will repeat it for the last time. I don't want political discussions in my house. I have invited youfor dinner, not for a conspiracy."

Diego felt out of place at that meeting. To begin with, they had not introduced him to any of the attendees, so he learned the names as he listened to conversations here and there. Most of the guests were at least twenty years older than him, and although many of the gentlemen had brought their wives or other companions, most of the women had remained talking in the next room while the gentlemen discussed politics and business. Only doña Francisca had dared to participate in the discussions of men, demonstrating an independence that many of them seemed to find scandalous and attractive at the same time.

In the middle of the evening Mrs. Francisca invited three gentlemen to accompany her to a small room next to the dining room.

"Benito, if you´d do the honors."

Benito pointed to the other present in the room, a middle-aged man with a blond mustache and glasses. He was tall, but not as much as Diego, and he was somewhat overweight. "Of course. Luis, this gentleman is Diego."

"Nice to meet you." Diego said, surprised by the strange presentation that didn't include last names.

"I´ve heard about you, although less than I would have expected given the circumstances. You seem able to go unnoticed and I would like to know the reason."

The man's eyes were so dark brown that the pupil was barely visible.

"Last November 1 you saw the ghosts of Desengaño. But did you also see something out of the ordinary in Plaza Mayor?"

"Excuse me, but I see no reason to answer your questions."

"Yes, you don't see the reason. It is understandable that you do not trust us. I guess you have been hiding your abilities for a long time. On the other hand, to develop them so much you have to have been practicing with someone. Some teacher. I can only think that a shaman has helped you, but they are very cautious and I would be surprised if he had accepted you as an apprentice."

Doña Francisca realized the tension in the room and decided to intervene.

"Maybe it would be better for us to answer any questions that Don Diego wants to ask us."

Don Luis intervened. "I think it´s a good suggestion. If you want to ask any questions we will answer it. Then it will be our turn."

"I guess the first question is very obvious. What do you want from me?"

"We seek knowledge. For centuries, the powerful have wanted to possess wisdom and have persecuted people they could not control. The church has been especially cruel, but it has not been the only one to persecute us. Now we look for others who have a gift to study them, trying to balance the spiritual and the scientific."

"Do you also have gifts?"

"That is another question Don Diego, but I will answer it nonetheless. Francisca can contact the spiritual plane. Benito is a scholar of the Cabal, and has the ability to decipher codes in numbers and the stars. I am a mediator, as if we were saying an anchor, or perhaps a beacon that guides others in their travels. I guarantee that anyone who dares to take the spiritual journey can return home. Seeingyour face, I think that it does not seem very impressive for you, but believe me, many of those who tried to acquire knowledge by the shortest path would have given anything to have someone like me by their side."

"Good, and now. Are you willing to tell us your story?"

The guests were retiring and Diego asked for a carriage to return to the residence hall. He felt very confused, not knowing if he could trust those people.

zzZzz

Diego and other students prepared the instruments for the next physics class. He was gently grindingone of the laboratory equipment lenses.

"Diego, there is a place in the astronomical observatory. Are you still interested?"

"Of course Don Joaquin, astronomy is one of my favorite subjects."

"I will speak with the rector so that you will have permission to return after closing time. I will give you a calendar with the nights you will have assigned. Do you know how to get there?"

"Yes, I´ve been there several times."

"Good. It would be better if you go on horseback. That area is poorly lit and could be dangerous. The war has produced a lot of poverty, so you should better carry your sword. I understand that a student of Sir Edmond should have no problem defending himself, but still be careful."

zzZzz

The observatory area was really dark at that time._ It makes sense not to build the observatory in an illuminated area_. Diego thought. For a while only the moon illuminated his path, but from the Neptune fountain, he knew that he could count on some oil lanterns that will provide some clarity, especially near the noble buildings.

The only noise was the rhythmic sound of his horse's hooves, which made him stay a little drowsy until he heard a whistle that seemed very out of place. Suddenly awake, he looked up, trying to identify the source of the sound. He thought he saw someone hiding behind one of the trees and diverted the horse to the center of the avenue to hinder an ambush.

Two men came out from behind the trees about twenty meters ahead across the street.

He started worrying. _This looks pretty bad_. He spurred the horse and with his hand on his sword he rode looking alternately on both sides as he approached the men in front of him.

In the dark, he could not see the stone that hit him on the shoulder knocking him to the ground. Four men approached him while he stood up, drawing his sword. Two of them also carried swords, but the other two were armed with the largest knives Diego had ever seen. One of them opened his own with a pretty impressive metallic patter.

Diego took a bag from the inside pocket of his coat. "This is all I have." He said showing it to the nearest two men. They did not respond and came closer. The two men armed with knives took off their coats and wrapped their left arms. Diego adopted a stance, but not with the typical French posture at a fencing room. It was clear that their opponents were not gentlemen.

Two of them attacked him without warning. Diego managed to stop the sword of one of them and dodge the knife of the second by throwing himself to the ground at the last moment, but he could not prevent him from tearing his clothes at the height of the ribs. When he got up, he got a kick in the side. He lost his balance, but he managed to roll on his side and stand up against a tree trunk. Putting his back against it, he prepared for the next attack. He injured one of them in the arm, letting him drop the sword.

"We don't have time for this." The other swordsman growled, and taking a bag out of his pocket, he opened it and threw a powder in his face that blinded him instantly producing a tremendous sting in his eyes and throat. Coughing, he fell to the floor trying to breathe.

The next thing he knew, they had tied his hands behind his back and were gagging him.

The wounded man approached with his horse and placed it next to him. "You can choose between riding or going on the horse like a sack of spuds."

Diego mounted his horse helped by one of the men. Another of them has been already on his horse holding the reins of Diego's.

Diego prayed that someone would see the strange scene and help him, but at that time the streets were empty and his captors were careful to dodge the night watchmen. Throughout the trip, he blinked repeatedly trying to clear his eyes, knowing that it was useless, because even if he could see clearly he was sure that he would not have been able to recognize the path in the labyrinth of streets flanked by red brick houses. He also was unable to see the small shadow that followed them, walking near the buildings and occasionally showing his sharp white teeth in a grimace of fury.

They stopped in front of one of the brick-fronted houses with a red-tiled roof. They forced him to dismount and between two men he was dragged inside and through a rickety staircase they went down to a basement that smelled of damp earth and moldy sacks.

"I need you to uncover his wrists," said a raspy voice behind him.

They cut the strings of his wrists with a knife, but he had two men on each side holding his arms and he could not avoid being chained to the wall.

A man in his forties with thin brown hair was in front of him. He had a hooked nose and was dressed like a gentleman. Diego felt cold and itchy in his wrists and behind his ears, when the other man smeared him with something viscous.

The men around him moved and seemed to be leaving the basement. He didn't know how many of them had climbed the stairs again, but he believed that at least one was still in the room with him.

He lost track of time, and felt dizzy and sleepy. After a while the same man he had seen before approached him and opened one of his eyes. "I think we've waited enough."

A much older man, dressed in worn clothes turned to him. Despite his modest appearance, his way of speaking and moving indicated great confidence in himself.

"Well, señor de la Vega. I have wanted to know you since I learned of your presence in our city. Tell me. How long have you known Mr. Blunt?"

"I'm afraid I don't know who you are talking about."

"Come on, don't make this difficult for you. You had dinner with him the other night at the house of the widow of Rivero."

"I was introduced to some people at that dinner, but I wasn´t told their last names."

"Doña Francisca has beenalways so cautious. You cannot tell what you do not know. But you can tell me what you were talking about."

Diego did not answer.

"Hey, it´s better to cooperate. I have ways to get the information that you can't even imagine."

Diego remained silent, although it was getting harder and harder to keep his eyes focused. The face of the man in front of him began to cover with shadows. His eyes became to look as empty basins that extended to the rest of the face, turning it into a pit of darkness.

"I will initiate you into a path that will give you knowledge and power, but you will be at my service. Your gifts will help us fight against the enemies of Spain and the king. You will be a good patriot and help me discover all those conspirators who have tried to subdue their rightful ruler."

"You are crazy."

"Describe me the people you spoke with."

"A tabby cat, a crow, an anchor." Diego blinked confused. Suddenly he found himself in the hills near Los Angeles. The old Indian man was by his side.

"You are far from home, dreamer."

"What's going on?."

"They try to break your mind. Hold on, help is on its way."

The sun was hidden behind a sticky haze. The heat became suffocating and his feet sank in the mud. The man's voice in front of him became more serious.

"If you don't cooperate with me, I will kill you in a ritual that will condemn you to hell."

He was knee-deep in the muck, insects and vermin began to climb up his body. He tried to shake them, but he was paralyzed. He wanted to scream, but he was afraid they would sneak through his open mouth.

A light broke through drawing a five-pointed star in the air. He saw a female statue pointing at him and when the light fell on him, it scared away the creatures that crawled down his legs and torso.

"He is lying. He can kill you, but your soul is free. You are not condemned and he cannot hold you here."

Her voice sounded familiar, but on the other hand he was sure he didn't know her. Diego was only vaguely worried about the idea that this man could kill him.

"You have your mother's eyes." Said the statue. "When you return home you have to help them. Find the missing name on the gravestone."Diego looked where she pointed and saw that he was in the cemetery of the Angels, in front of his mother's gravestone.

"Don Diego, wake up."

"It's useless, He is too high. We'll have to carry him." Said Francisca's voice.

Notes

(1) El rey felón: one of the nicknames of Ferdinand VII. It means he was considered disloyal, unjust and ungrateful. First, they called him "El Deseado" (The wanted king), but when the people of Spain started knowing him better, they changed their minds.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7. Rumors.**

He could hear a male voice, but it seemed to come from another room. "I am almost certain that they used jimsonweed ointment."

"Yes, but. How much?. They could have killed him." Said a female voice.

"They have been close. If he doesn't wake up today, the damage is likely to be permanent."

Diego opened his eyes and looked around, feeling disoriented. He was in a huge bed, and his head was rumbling, although he immediately realized that he was hearing horses hooves on the street on the other side of the window. He noticed something that moved near his hand and was startled, but it was only a gray tabby cat that looked at him with its golden eyes, surprised by the abrupt movement. On a bedside table, he saw a glass, and sat up praying that it contained water. Luckily it did. Leaving it on the bedside table, it fell to the floor, and the noise attracted two people to the room.

Doña Francisca approached him smiling. "You have woken up. Wait, I'll ask for more water." She left the room for a moment and talked to someone on the other side of the door. A man he did not know, with big gray mustaches also came and took his pulse.

Doña Francisca returned to his side "We were worried. Ghosts came to see me, I had never seen before most of them. It seems that yourfamiliar woke them all up. It took me almost fifteen minutes to understand what they were saying. They talked all at once and most didn't hear each other."

"Familiar? Do you mean my grandmother?" He asked confused.

"No, a familiar is an animal that helps with certain rituals. In this case it was a fox, although it would not be correct to say that it was a familiar because it was a spirit. Did you see your grandmother?"

"It was a statue, but I think it was her. The fox is my guide, but it's not real, it's just a shadow that I see in glancing before I can interpret what I'm seeing."

"It's much more than that." She laughed. Diego looked at the man who was taking his pulse "Don Gonzalo is my personal doctor." She said turning to the gentleman.

The doctor looked him in the eye. "His pupils are still dilated, but if he can eat something I think he could leave for dinner time."

"Thank you doctor."

The doctor left the room. Diego was aware that he was alone with the woman. He also realized that he was wearing only a sleeping shirt.

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"A man asked me questions, but I think I answered something incoherent and threatened to kill me."

"Just to killyou?"

"And with condemning me to hell, but there were no flames, it was more like a swamp. Then I saw the statue and she told me he could kill me, but he couldn't keep me there."

"Did you see any symbols?"

"I saw a five-pointed star."

"The minor exile. That closed the door for them."

"I do not understand anything."

"It is understandable. It usually takes years of study and meditation to be prepared for such an initiation, and you have been forced to do so in one night. I'm surprised you haven´t gone crazy. I have advised Don Benito and Don Luis in case you want to talk to them, but now I recommend that you rest a little more." A maid came in with a glass of water and offered it to him. When he laid down again, the cat laid down beside him and rested its head on Diego's hand, who couldn't help scratching its neck. The cat purred in satisfaction and the low, steady sound made his eyes close.

A few hours later Diego woke up again and was feeling better. He saw his clothes on a chair beside the bed, although the shirt was new. Already dressed, he left the room and followed the sound of the conversation to a living room.

He heard a low voice. "He invoked a hell of rot, so his lord has to be..."

"Are you crazy? My house is a sanctuary, don't say that name here!" Francisca cried.

Don Luis turned to him sharply. "Don Diego, I owe you an apology. I didn't think you were in danger. I don't know how they could see through your veil, but I think they watched this house the night of the dinner."

"What do you mean by veil?"

"It is a protection. It makes you go unnoticed, so that when someone sees you, they rule out that you are the person they are looking for. However, those men knew that you would be there. I can teach you to improve it, although it has a price. The more you use it, the harder it will be to stop using it."

"But they know who I am, it won't help."

"That is not right. We have created a distraction. They failed to get any useful information, and from there we made them believe they got the wrong man. Your veil is working."

A maid approached the door to announce dinner.

"Don Diego, do you think you can eat anything?" doña Francisca said.

"I think so."

They went to the dining room, but during dinner they only talked about trivial things. When they finished, they retired to the library. Don Luis turned to him.

"Don Diego, today is not a good day for you to continue your learning. I suggest you come once a week and we will show you what we can, but I must warn you that it is dangerous because the king has initiated a persecution and it is very likely that the group will disintegrate."

"But I will have to give an explanation about why I did not return to the residence hall last night."

"Not only last night, you have been unconscious for almost two days."

Diego seemed worried. Francisca looked at him and couldn't help smiling. "I'm afraid we had to improvise and I don't know if you will like what we said to explain your presence in my house. When we went to look for you in the slum where you had been put in, the man who had you withheld had given up questioning you because you had been unconscious for a while, so with a little help he assumed that you are only my last... Which word did he use? Ah yes, whim."

Diego looked stunned.

Don Luis continued with the explanation. "For that man it was easier to believe that you have no abilities than the fact that you were able to resist. He saw that Francisca was very worried about you, so he supposed you are lovers. We simply do not deny it. His ego did the rest. These types of men love to think they have discovered a secret."

Diego nodded, looking at Francisca sideways.

"At this time the rumors have probably reached yourresidence hall. It is best not to openly contradict them. You can say that you went to visit relatives in some nearby city, such as Alcala de Henares or El Escorial, although everyone will believe that it is an excuse."

Doña Francisca tried not to laugh. "I advise you that if someone asks you directly, say there are things that a gentleman cannot reveal, that phrase will confirm the suspicions without you having to lie."

"But your reputation will be questioned. If I did something like that I would have to ask for your hand."

Francisca could no longer contain her laughter. "Come on, don Diego, don't overdo it. It is not necessary to be so theatrical. I am a widow and quite older than you. No one is going to force you to marry me. Since my husband died I have had more than one lover. Come on, I'm sure some gentlemen also have them in your homeland."

"Yes, but women suffer all the consequences. They live apart from society. It is no way to treat a lady."

"We don't take those issues so seriously here as long as those involved are discreet. Most people pretend nothing happens. Don't worry about your reputation, sure your friends think it's great."

zzZzz

Diego returned to the Royal Studies as he had been advised. One of his friends greeted him effusively. "We missed you last night."

"I've been out for a couple of days visiting one of my cousins in Aranjuez."

"And the visit has been interesting?" Said Augustín with a note of mockery in his voice.

"I guess the usual in these cases."

Diego went into his room and tried to continue reading the book he had halfway, but found it difficult to concentrate.

zzZzz

Don Luis's voice was comforting in that world of elusive images.

"You have to focus and visualize the five-pointed star. Your mental image must be strong enough to withstand a direct attack."

He imagined a line going down and then tried to add the line that was next. The shadows that moved behind his eyelids made it very difficult.

"No, not dark lines, they must be bright. Try to imagine them silver."

That seemed to work, he could see the light in his mind.

"Sometimes it is useful to carry an object with the image of the star. It helps to fix the image in the mind and somehow it has an effect on others, although without being aware of it. Enough for today, it will end up sold out. I also have to go home. Maybe I can see you next week, but I still can't confirm it. Francisca will send you an invitation with the usual excuse if we can finally get together."

Diego got up a little dizzy to shake hands with Don Luis.

"Thank you, I will continue practicing when I have some free time."

"If you practice in front of other people, do not wear the veil for too long or they will end up thinking that the image you give when you wear it is a reality. It is also important to remember that the veil deceives the eye and to a lesser extent the ear, but smell and touch cannot be deceived."

They both went out together and separated two streets later.

zzZzz

"Wow. What do you have here Diego? Another invitation to have dinner with the widow?"

"Come on, give it back to me at once."

"Look, it says that confirmation is requested. As if it might occur to him not to go."

"Go on, give it back to him. You are jealous." said another student.

Diego changed his clothes and headed to Francisca's house. When he arrived he realized that there were still no carriages at the door. He consulted his pocket watch, but it wasn't too soon.

He knocked on the door and a servant opened it and took his coat and gloves. He went to the living room, which was deserted. After a few minutes Francisca went down the stairs. She wore a simpler dress than usual when she had a dinner, although with a fairly pronounced neckline.

"Diego, I'm afraid there has been a misunderstanding. I canceled dinner and thought I had notified all the guests."

"I have not received any notes."

"Surely it was a mistake on my part. Please stay for dinner. Surely my cook can prepare something for you too. I must also inform you of something. Don Luis has left Spain and he will not be able to continue working with you. You will have to continue your studies on your own, but I advise you a lot of caution."

Francisca sat next to him and told him stories about her childhood and about how she learned to pretend she didn't see the ghosts around her.

"Fortunately, most appearances have no will. They are just memories that are repeated again and again, associated with a spirit. Sometimes they are scenes of their lives, and other times things that happened after their death. However, they can take advantage of this presence to manifest themselves, modifying the memory at their convenience. For them it is like a door."

"Was that what I saw on Desengaño Street, a memory?"

"Yes, that day they didn't interact with anyone, although I suspect that only the woman is a ghost and both men are part of the vision."

"I think you are right, because the next day the woman talked to me in the church of San Isidro."

"I guess she considered you interesting enough to manifest. Ghosts have a hard time doing it, and they are only visible for a very short time." Francisca's hand reached Diego's on the table and he could also feel the woman's leg against his. "I must recognize something." She said, stroking Diego's hand. "I also find you very interesting." she whispered_._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8. The locket.**

Francisca woke up, stretching like a cat. Then she got out of bed and walked naked around the room to the trunk, from where he pulled a silk robe. Diego, sitting on the bed, followed her with his gaze, disappointed when she dressed in the robe.

"Are you enjoying the views?. Looks like you've never seen a naked woman before."

"I had seen paintings, sculptures and anatomy books, but this is certainly much better."

She approached him smiling. "Aren't there any women in California?" She started kissing his neck.

"Well, there are the daughters of the other landowners, but for much less than seeing one of them naked I would have to marry her."

"Then you couldn't do this with her." said Francisca, guiding his hand into the robe, on her chest.

"What about the other girls?" asked her while Diego pinched her gently, just as she had taught him a few hours earlier. He kept talking, though it was costing him all his concentration.

"There are also the daughters of the farmers or the merchants, but although no one would expect me to marry the girl if I seduced one, her reputation would be ruined and the consequences would be terrible for her."

"And you would never do such a thing just to satisfy your base passions." Her hand was providing him with a very detailed demonstration of what she meant by that.

He untiedher belt and opened the robe, admiring her. "There are also the women of the Indian village, but I don't think it was a good idea to have fun with one of them. They all carry a knife, not to mention what their husbands, fathers or siblings would do to a man who disrespected them."

"I see, civilized women could learn something from them. But the thing is, you've been very lonely." Francisca placed herself on him and they ended the conversation.

When they both got dressed, they went down together for breakfast. Diego found it curious that the servants left the trays with breakfast, but there was none in the room. The cat climbed on one of the chairs and looked at him with his honey-colored eyes.

"Cassiopeia likes you."

"Is it more than a pet? What did you call the animals that collaborate with the wizards?."

"Yes, Cassiopeia is my familiar. She helps me with my vision. She knows how to distinguish the truth from the lie, she can see through the veils."

"Can all cats do it?"

"No, just amber-eyed creatures, like this cat, most wolves, lions, certain birds and some people."

"I've never seen a person with eyes that color."

"It's very rare, and it's very difficult for them to realize they have a gift."

Diego looked again at the cat, who held his gaze by slightly wagging her tail.

"Can you communicate with her?"

"Not as with a person, it's a little more subtle, but the more you work with an animal, the better you understand what it means and that animal understands what you're saying. Its intelligence also increases, or it would be fairer to say that it manifests in a way more akin to humans."

"I have to go back to San Isidro. I don't want to miss Sir Edmond's lesson," Diego said, rising from the table.

"I'm glad you came last night."

"I'm glad, too, but you hadn't canceled any dinner. Had you?."

"I hadn´t, actually, I hope you didn't get mad at me."

"I don't think I can complain, really."

She looked at him, serious and a little worried. "I just hope you don't fall in love. This is nothing more than an affair and will be over soon."

"I'll try, but after last night and this morning I can't promise you anything."

zzZzz

"Well, now let's see which of you could face two opponents at once. You should keep in mind that although of course they will have an advantage, it will not be so much if you get to attack you one at a time. To do so, you must properly judge your surroundings and try to protect your flanks with any means available."

Sir Edmond stood in the center of the courtyard."Martin, Velardo, come here."

Both men stood in front of the master.

"Go ahead, attack."

Velardo seemed hesitating, but Martin attacked immediately, prompting a stop by Sir Edmond that deflected him to one side. Diego saw that instead of turning the man to the right, which would have been easier given the position of both, he sought to unbalance him towards the second fighter, so that he would interrupt his attack.

The fighting accelerated, and the two men tried to coordinate their attacks without succeeding. Sir Edmond recoiled, apparently inferior in front of the two men, but with it managed to reach the columns and used them in his favor.

Martin made a desperate move and Sir Edmond disarmed him, less than a minute later the other man also lost his sword.

"Now sophomores will fight two freshmen."

Three fights later it was Diego's turn.

"Lopez-Aguilar and Romero."

Diego studied his opponents. The one on his left seemed more anxious to start, but the other also watched him.

They decided to attack both at once. Diego retreated two steps and pulled a dagger out of his belt approaching the highest opponent first to move away from the one with the lower range.

The tip of Romero's sword ripped his shirt, but he couldn't scratch him. Diego dodged left so the two men were lined up in front of him and they could no longer attack him at the same time.

With a feint and a circular movement, Lopez's sword turned to the other man, who had to slow his advance when he encountered that unforeseen obstacle. During the confusion that occurred Diego advanced and got into the range of the first man's sword, taking the advantage to put the dagger to his neck.

"You´re dead, Lopez. Stand down." Sir Edmond ordered.

The other man attacked Diego again. The swords collided several times while asserting their greatest stature and experience to advance. His opponent did not realize that they reached the step that separated the center of the yard from the colonnade and stumbled as he recoiled.

When they retired Romero came over to congratulate Diego on the fight.

"Thank you, you are very kind."

Beside him another student commented. "I wonder where de la Vega he gets so much energy."

The one next door smiled, and mockingly said. "Surely there is no lack of good food in those dinners."

Sir Edmond approached him. "Come by my office before you go."

Diego collected his belongings and headed to Sir Edmond's office.

"Close the door."

After a brief silence Sir Edmond spoke again. "Tell me. Who is she?"

"Excuse me, Sir Edmond, but I don't think it's right to expose a lady."

"Your father is my friend, Don Diego, and although I understand that you are a young man I feel it is my obligation to prevent you from getting into more trouble than necessary. I hope you're not visiting a house of ill repute."

"No, Sir Edmond, I don't frequent those establishments."

"Well, many women are there out of necessity, and the relationships men have with them are not a good way to learn to satisfy a woman. There is also a risk of certain ills. You're enrolled in some subjects in the first medical year, so I guess you know what I mean."

"Yes, sir."

"I've heard some rumors, I thought they might be crazy, but now I find them looking more plausible. Have you attended some meeting at doña Portillo's house?"

Diego preferred not to answer the question, so he was silent for a moment and Sir Edmond nodded.

"Well, that's a woman. Give her my regards the next time you see her."

"I will." Diego replied with a strange expression.

"Get out of here now."

zzZzz

Diego studied a book of commercial law while taking notes, trying to apply the contents of the book to a lawsuit he remembered between his father and a horse salesman. He looked up for a moment and saw a shadow in his window, but this time he was not a fox, but a cat. He blinked and the image did not fade, but was completely solid.

"Cassiopeia?"

The cat replied with a noise between a meow and a purr. It sounded like she was asking him something. She jumped on the table and rubbed a cheek against Diego's fingers. Then he saw that he wore a locket around her neck. It was a circle containing a five-pointed star. When he touched it, he realized that there was a small paper attached with thread to the cat's necklace. The message contained only one question. Do you want to come today?.

The cat stared at him and he felt strange answering her. "Tell her yes."

The animal waved its tail and jumped back to the window, silently like a shadow. Diego got up and took his jacket. In the corridor he crossed paths with Augustín. "Hi. Have you finally decided to come?."

"No, I'm just going for a walk to clear my head. Then I'll go back to studying."

"Yes, of course, nothing like a little exercise to clear your head."

He walked the streets and several times seemed to see Cassiopeia sneaking between the buildings. As he made the last turn, he saw clearly as the cat sneaked out of a window on the ground floor. He came to the door and it opened without him ever calling. He couldn't see anyone, but he heard Francisca's voice inviting him in.

He was feeling rather tense when he entered the house, and when he turned he saw Francisca pushing the door. She was scantily clad.

"What if I become someone else?"

"Cassiopeia would have told me. You should see the look on your face."

"And the servants?."

"They know when they have to stay in other parts of the house. Don't worry about them. Come with me."

zzZzz

Francisca came forward to look at him. She was running her fingers through Diego's hair, right behind his ears. The feeling was driving him crazy. Suddenly Diego laughed.

"What's the matter with you now.?" she asked.

"I told a colleague I was going out to do some exercise to clear my head."

"Well, you certainly had some exercise."

"Yes, but right now I don´t have a clear head at all. That thing you do distract me a lot."

"Maybe you need more exercise."

"There's only one way to find out."

zzZzz

When they went down to dinner Francisca was serious.

"Diego, these months I've had a lot of fun, you're a sweetheart."

"That sounds like a farewell."

"And it is, although if you want we can see each other a few more times, in two weeks I will leave Madrid. I think I'll go to Portugal and from there to England."

"Have you had problems with the king's men?"

"Not yet, but I feel the circle is tightening. It's only a matter of time."

"Do you have anywhere to go?."

"Yes, I have some friends abroad. There's something I haven't told you. I had a relationship with a British commander, I thought he'd ask me to marry him, but we argued."

"Sorry, Francisca, I didn't know."

"Yes, well, it was about six months before I met you."

"Haven't you heard from him again?"

"No, he made his opinion of me very clear. By the little vocabulary he has in Spanish, he knew several synonyms of the word prostitute."

"I can't believe he found you with another man. Did anyone speak ill of you?."

"How do you know he didn't find me with someone else?"

"Because you have always been honest with me, I am sure that if you promise to be faithful to someone you will keep your word. I would."

"You're a man, everyone thinks it's different."

"I don't think so."

"I thank you."

The knocks were heard on the door. A male voice shouted Francisca's name. "Go to the bedroom and just get dressed."

Diego got up in a haste.

"Wait, put this on." She gave him a locket like the one the cat wore. Diego didn't stop to think and put it on. "If Richard enters the bedroom, stay by a wall and think of the minor exile."

He stared at her with his eyes wide open. "Run." she shouted.

Francisca went to the door and spoke through it. "Richard. What do you want now?."

"I'm here to talk to you."

"For that you don't need to kick the door down. I'll open you up."

Francisca opened the door and a man of about forty years old and sturdy complexion entered. He headed like a trumpet to the bedroom. Richard entered Francisca's room. Diego had just finished dressing and was standing by the door. Although part of his mind told him that it was absurd, he concentrated on the lines of the five-pointed star. He saw clearly how the other man's sight was going through the room, jumping as he looked near him.

The Englishman turned to Francisca."I've been told you're with a man."

"Well, you already checked, but even if it were true, it is none of your business."

"Yes, it is, I have known from Williams that you are in trouble and you will flee to England. I want you to come with me."

"Richard, I'm not going to go with a man who despises me and doesn't trust me."

"I can't bear the thought of you being with another man."

"I told you before. If I get married, I'll keep my promise. What I do before I commit is my business. You can take it or walk out the door right now."

Richard looked at the ground, embarrassed. At that moment the cat entered the room and jumped on the bed, where she lay down."Go down to the living room, I'll meet you right away."

When Richard went downstairs the cat turned her head and looked towards Diego. Francisca also turned to him. "You're there, thank goodness, for a moment I thought you'd have done something stupid like jumping out the window."

"Wow. Who's theatrical now?"

"I'm going down to talk to him. We'll be in the living room, so get out of the back door and walk normally while you focus on the star. Everything should be fine."

Diego looked at her in a way she couldn´t read. "We'll never see each other again." She nodded in response. "Will you be all right?. I hope that man will not hurt you."

"No, I'm sure he wouldn't do something like that. I need to know if I have a chance with him."

For a moment Francisca thought Diego would beg her to stay with him, but all he said was: "Good luck."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9. Ancient knowledge.**

Diego followed the cat, who stopped in front of a shop of hats and gloves on the street Bordadores. He greeted Francisca as if they had met by chance.

"I'm glad to be able to bid farewell to you."

"Thank you Diego. I didn't have time to say goodbye the other night."

"Besides, I have to give you something back." He discreetly showed her the locket with the five-pointed star.

"I want you to keep it. Remember that it will help you lift the veil if you bring it into view, but also that the spell becomes stronger the more you use it. The first time you use it with someone you'll have to concentrate, but if you keep hiding behind it, it's getting harder and harder for that person to see the truth."

Diego nodded.

"I have something else for you." Francisca offered him a rectangular package wrapped in a brown cloth.

"A book?"

"Yes, **that** book. You better not open it here."

"But. Don't you want to use it with Richard?."

"I've commissioned a friend to get me another copy. I don't want him to know I already had it before I met him. Hopefully you will find someone to share it with."

"I wish I could find a woman half as wonderful as you. You've been a great friend."

"You too. Good bye. Be very careful, dangerous times are approaching."

"Goodbye Francisca." he kissed her hand and they parted.

zzZzz

Don Benito pulled a book and an empty cup of tea from his desk so he could unroll a scroll. "Have you seen the form of this sign? I think the document is older than I thought."

Diego looked at the document, but of course he was not able to properly appreciate what the professor indicated. The old man realized. "Excuse me, I get lost in my studies. Now that Francisca is also gone, there are few people left who can help you with your quest."

Diego nodded, though as usual, he did not fully understand what that man was telling him. He seemed to talk in riddles all the time. "Before you left, Francisca told me that you had managed to cloud the sight of someone who was looking for you. Although she was quite vague and I found it better not to ask the details."

Diego saw how the other man's expression concealed a smile, but prudently decided not to add anything. "That procedure you have used so successfully is not only helpful against people who want to harm you, but will also allow you to avoid unwanted contacts with other beings."

"Can ghosts want to hurt me?"

"It's very rare for a ghost to do something like this. They are usually trapped, as if they were playing a play, or rather a scene, in an endless repetition. Only in very specific circumstances could a person's spirit be a threat, and this ritual that I am studying right now would, so to speak, allow the spirit to be reported to the authorities for action. Meanwhile the minor exile would be effective protection."

Diego was trying to assimilate that something like this was possible. For that man, politics was irrelevant to the power game of which he witnessed.

"The question now, señor de la Vega, is the extent to which you want to contact them. Although you have the potential to become a good medium I think it is wiser to stay in a relatively safe area. Francisca will have told you how hard it is to live surrounded by voices that others can't hear."

"Yes, she has told me several experiences and I agree with you."

"We can train so that you stay halfway. In this way you can invoke them and also a spirit that has a bond with you, may manifest itself, but you will not see them by chance."

"That's what I want."

"Many hours of study await you ahead. Take this book with you. I hope you find it to your liking. Next week we'll talk about it."

zzZzz

For the first time Diego went out looking for a ghost. He felt a little reticent, and that's why he decided to start with someone he knew. This time he was able to reach the street Desengaño by his own means. The street was one like so many others on that side of the city, narrow and with few shops. He entered the church of Portaceli and concentrated on his breathing, trying to leave his mind blank. He imagined a door in which he carefully drew a symbol and opened it. As he opened his eyes, he felt a presence by his side.

"Welcome, señor. Do you come to confess your sins?."

"I come to pray for the souls of the deceased."

"You are very kind. In exchange for a prayer for my soul, I can answer some of your questions."

"Does it do any good if I pray for you?"

"I honestly don't know. I've been lost for a long time and I pray to find a way out."

"Why are you still here?"

"I committed a dreadful sin. I took a life."

"Did you kill anyone?"

"When my fiancé died in that stupid duel I felt so desperate that I wanted to die. I ingested a poison and although soon after I repented, it was too late. The confessor couldn't hear me, and I didn't get absolution. My punishment is to remain here, neither in heaven nor in hell."

"I wish I could do something for you. We haven't been introduced. My name is Diego". At that moment she dared to turn his eyes, and saw that this time, the lady did not look like a dry corpse, but as a woman, with brown eyes, oval face and reddish brown hair.

"I am Agueda. Nice to meet you."

"I thank you for showing me your kind face. You're the first person I've come to visit."

"Well, it's the least I could do for someone so polite. I was upset when I found out you were in the possession of a man who doesn't treat us with such courtesy."

Diego couldn't suppress a shiver by remembering that. For a moment he thought something was crawling on his leg.

"No, take those sensations out of your mind. Right now you're near the border and you could attract the attention of some undesirable. In fact, I just want to talk to you about him."

zzZzz

"Don Benito, we have to do something."

"I understand your concern, but our group has tried for years and we haven't been able to stop that man and his followers."

Diego looked at him frustrated. Don Benito added. "Understand it, he has accumulated power at all levels. Apart from his talent as a sorcerer, he is a counselor to the king. For one reason or another we have lost several allies in this fight and I don't want to lose you too. Stay away from them, finish your studies and go home. You cannot fight all the evil in the world, but you will be able to protect the people you love."

Diego looked away from him, and in doing so he saw one of the scrolls that the professor studied so hard. What good was the knowledge if it could not be applied?

Diego left the hall of residence trying to clear his ideas, but he could not get out of his head what the lady in the veil had told him. There were only three days left for All Hallow´s Eve, and Diego was trying to find some way to intervene without ending up dead, or worse, in the hands of the high priest of a lord of demons.

zzZzz

The day was so bright that it took a few moments to get used to the gloom inside the church. He went towards the candles and left some coins in the collecting box before lighting one of the thicker ones.

He could hear her soft voice. "Thank you very much, that candle will burn more than a day before it is extinguished."

"Is it useful to light candles?"

"Yes, they remind us that someone still thinks of us. It gives us hope."

"I could use it like to feel that way right now. I don't know what I can do to avoid slaughter."

"Maybe I can help you. I've seen part of the ceremony several times and I can give you the details."

"Do they always do exactly the same things?"

"Of course they do. It is very important to follow all the steps with extreme care. A failed invocation could be a terrible thing."

"For whom?"

"For all involved, but especially for the high priest."

"Can you tell me what you know?"

"I can do something else. I can take you with me to the memory of last year's ceremony."

"It could be dangerous."

"Not too much. It's a memory, not a vision of those taking part this year. They couldn't locate us, but you have to trust me."

"Would the usual precautions impede vision?"

"Not in this case, if you let me stay inside the circle with you. I'll take a risk too, you could leave me trapped inside indefinitely."

"And why would I do something like that?"

"There are people who would pay a fortune to have a spirit at their service. Do you know what's more valuable than money?"

"The information."

"Exactly."

"Can you come to my room tonight?"

"Wow, that´s very bold." she said, laughing. "But I'll go. It's been a long time since my last date." The lady's laughter made the nearest candles swing. Diego muttered a few prayers before leaving.

zzZzz

It took him a while to convince that stubborn, foul-mouthed Asturian to let him do his job. His strong accent also did not help in the negotiation. He told him that he had just arrived from New Spain and that he wanted to try the trade of waterman because he had been offered the purchase of one of the licenses, but he believed that the work was going to be very hard and that the price was excessive. (1) Finally, it was the three jugs of wine that convinced him, and the Asturian left him his official water badge and the canteen, telling him that he had to take the water from the fountain of the Puerta del Sol, which was written on the badge, and to be careful with Jacinto from Vimianzo (2).

zzZzz

His shoulder had been hurting for some time, but he didn't give up. He continued to walk and carry the amount of water agreed with the residents of the neighborhood. He finally made it to the house he was interested in. Concentrating on the star-shaped symbol he went to the kitchen and poured a certain amount of water into a vat. Just before he finished, he emptied a jar, he was carrying concealed up his sleeve.

He went downstairs and went to the next house, as he had agreed with the watering man he replaced a day. At the end of the cast he went to the tavern where the waterman was waiting for him and returned the badge after erasing the five-pointed star that he had drawn on it with a piece of charcoal.

zzZzz

Dressed in tattered clothes, he waited for nightfall wandering around the area. He had planned to watch from the door of the church of the convent of the Calatravas, but he had not been sitting there for ten minutes when one of the usual beggars approached. With an angry grimace on his wrinkled face turned to him and said hoarsely."Get out of here candongo, abantorrollo, gandumbas. Get yourself a job and don't take the bread out of an old man's mouth, zargandongo." (3)

Diego apologized and left there in a hurry. He spent a good time strolling through the streets without ever approaching the convent door again. The man he had served the water had not passed through those streets, so it was possible that his plan was working.

"Good night gentleman, " said a feminine and musical voice.

"Good night."

"I see you today a little unimproved. Those clothes don't suit you."

"Well, I think i'll have to change my clothes at least twice after the night is over."

"It's going to be a busy night. Are you sure you want to continue with this?."

"An innocent life is in danger. I have to do something."

"There are actually two innocent lives in danger, that girl's and yours, but if you´re still determined on doing this, I'll go with you as far as I can, even if you know that once inside you'll be alone. I don't feel able to get into that cursed place."

"I wouldn't ask you. I may risk my life, but you would risk something else."

She nodded and they both made their way to the dark man's house. Diego was wearing espadrilles, and his footsteps barely resonated in the cobblestone. The lady moved elegantly without making the slightest noise.

Notes:

(1) In Madrid, running water began to reach houses in the early twentieth century. In the past, waterers would take water from public fountains to customers who requested it. The licenses were granted by the City Council, and although legally they could not be sold, in practice it was done. The waterers were robust porters, many of them Galician and Asturian, and had a reputation for quarrelsome.

(2) A village located on the coast of Galicia.

(3) Insults in disuse.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10. The ritual.**

Diego climbed the four flights of stairs for the second time that day. He forced the door lock with a small knife and entered the house. Just as he expected, the man he had served the water was unconscious on the kitchen floor. He approached him to check that he was breathing properly.

"Maybe I gave him an excessive dose." Diego said worriedly.

"I don't think so, the water of the Cibeles (1) would most likely enhance the effect."

"Is that why you insisted I use it?"

"Yes, she is a white goddess and I'm sure she's willing to cooperate."

"That sounds very pagan."

"Where I am, things do not look the same."

He went to the bedroom and took several items of clothing from the closet. He changed his clothes, leaving the ones he was carrying on the floor and put a black garment and a black cloth embroidered into a sack that was placed on his shoulder with a rope. With determined pace he left the building and went to the lair of his greatest enemy.

The five-pointed star symbol shone in his mind, and he wondered if it would be enough protection for what he wanted to do. He knocked on the door with the proper cadence and the door opened. He had to overcome his resistance to enter that building again. He felt the presence of the lady by his side, though he knew she would not accompany him as he went down the stairs.

The low, sallow man who opened the door did not look twice at him. Diego came in false confidence and began to descend the stairs.

"Good luck!" he heard in a whisper.

In the lower chamber was a jargon where he could distinguish a small lump. The girl couldn't be more than eight years old and she was thin and somewhat dirty. On her face he could see the furrows of tears, but now she seemed to sleep soundly.

Diego entered the room below. There was an altar in front of a wooden table with engraved channels. The smell made him feel nauseous, but he managed to control himself and went to the altar at the back. Unfortunately Agueda had never been there and he could not know so accurately what he should do, he only knew that he had to spread the black cloth over the altar, so to do it, he had to be guided by the description he had memorized from one of Don Benito's books. When he was done he went to the first room and when he saw that the other man was already there with the cape and hood on, he pulled the garment from his coat and dressed. He was hoping no one would notice the difference in stature with the man he was impersonating.

Four men arrived and the room was heated. Despite the discomfort, no one spoke. Moments later he recognized the face of the man who descended down the stairs carrying a heavy book in his hands. He put on a much more elaborate cape than the others and entered the sanctuary. One of the men took the girl in his arms and deposited her on the table in the center of the room. Another of the attendees lit candles that emitted an acidic and unpleasant smelly smoke. The priest placed the book on the altar and Diego took his place to his left trying to concentrate on his five-pointed star.

When he began to hear the words of the ritual in a murmur he felt the forces begin to abandon him. The image in front of him began to oscillate, and again he was surrounded by a sticky mist and rotten plants. He heard splashes and the noise of creatures crawling through the mud. He clung to his five-pointed star, but something was pressing on his mind, huge and slimy. Fear threatened to break his barrier. He knew that if he did not remain calm, a fate worse than death awaited him, but every passing second, his will was weakening.

A soft voice whispered one of the psalms. Her serene voice made him regain control. "Agueda. You shouldn't be here."

"I won't leave you alone. Pray with us."

Together, they prayed in Latin, and as they progressed in prayer, a chorus of whispering voices began to accompany them. Meanwhile a presence was getting more intense in the room. The high priest placed both hands on the altar and recited a few words that rumbled in Diego's mind. At the same time Diego muttered a formula in what he expected to be correct Aramaic.

The feeling changed, now the pressure on his mind was less. A door materialized in the image, so high that he could not see the doorpost. It opened slowly, and on the other side, he could see a dazzling light.

The men present at the ceremony began to whisper among themselves, tense and confused. The light continued to increase in intensity, erasing all traces of the jungle and its inhabitants. A silhouette began to stand out over the light.

Diego saw eyes as blue as the ice.

A golden armor.

A white, incandescent metal sword.

The creature spread a par of wings that covered all the space in front of them. The high priest began to scream and his followers pushed each other in their eagerness to reach the stairs. Diego turned the image out of his mind and fell to his knees suddenly exhausted.

He opened his eyes and did not know if a few seconds or several hours had passed, then he realized that the candles had hardly been consumed, and that on the altar there were a pile of ashes still smoking. He believed the room had been left empty, but he heard a whining and saw the high priest shrunk behind the altar. The girl was still on the table.

"You have to get her to safety, quick. Some of them could come back. Take her to the San Fernando hospice (2), just like I told you. Ask for Mother Maria Luisa."

"Aren't you going to come with me?"

"No, he has spoken to me. He says I can go with him. Thanks for everything. We'll see each other again someday, but don't be in a hurry."

"Goodbye Agueda."

Diego caught the girl, who remained sound asleep. He realized that there were several elements used in the invocation, and one of them was a bag full of money. He decided to take it too.

He walked the dark streets. The cold was sneaking through his clothes and he feared for the girl. He had the feeling that someone was looking for him, and the familiar shadow of a fox made him choose streets that pushed him slightly out of his way. On one occasion he hid behind a corner waiting for a man to walk past the street that took him to his destination. All the way he seemed to still hear a chorus of voices praying in unison.

He walked around town almost in a trance. For a few moments he felt the forces abandon him, and he prayed. Stunned he seemed to hear more clearly the echo of the voices reciting psalms with a monotonous cadence. He looked at the girl and for a moment saw the face of Felipe, the boy he had encountered on a battlefield long ago. He prayed for him, and for all the children who, like him were victims of violence and wickedness.

He concentrated on moving through the quiet streets. It was almost dawn when he finally arrived at the hospice, which he recognized thanks to its richly carved granite facade. He reached the front door passing under the figure of San Fernando, who, armed with a sword, seemed to defy anyone who came with bad intentions.

He called and someone peeked into the peephole.

"What do you want at this hour?" asked a woman abruptly.

"This girl needs help. May I speak to Mother Maria Luisa?"

Brown eyes looked at him with distrust, but when Diego lifted the girl to make her available to her sight, the woman opened the door. He realized how tired his arms were after hauling water all morning and carrying the girl through the streets of Madrid.

The door opened with a slight creak.

"Come by before someone can see you. Hurry, don't stand there like a dummy."

Inside he noticed the smell of incense. The nun who had opened the door for them searched under the girl's clothes, pulled out an amulet she wore around her neck and took it off by wrapping it in a handkerchief. Then she approached the wall and pulled a rope. A bell rang in the depths of the building.

A burly nun came almost immediately and when she saw the girl she turned to the other woman.

"Is it the girl they had chosen?"

"Yes, take her to bed and don't ask any more questions." then she turned to Diego. "Follow me."

She led him to the chapel and there he found more than a dozen nuns kneeling in praying. She approached a woman whose habit appeared to be too big for her slim body and whispered something in her ear. Both turned to Diego and the older woman got up.

"Praise be to God. The girl is safe." The old woman said in awe.

Hearing it they all turned to him and Diego could not prevent the image of the five-pointed star from forming in his mind automatically. The nun next to the old lady smiled.

The old woman said. "We'd better go to my office. Sisters, try to get some rest. It's been a long night. Sister Remedios, come with me."

They walked down another corridor to a carved wooden door, while the two nuns chatted in whispers. The thin nun opened the door and invited the other two in.

"I am Mother Maria Luisa, you have asked for me."

Diego went to answer but she interrupted him with a gesture.

"Don't tell us your name. We'd better not know. Can we call you any other way?"

"An old friend called me a dreamer."

The woman smiled again. "Very suitable. Please take a seat, señor Dreamer. I assure you, you will not need protection here, we are not dangerous."

Somehow Diego knew she was referring to his five-pointed star, and for some reason he wasn't too surprised.

"Excuse me, it's been a long day and I'm a little dazed."

"If you're so kind as to tell me what happened, I'd be grateful."

"DoñaAgueda told me that the girl was in danger and I went to try to rescue her."

The convent's mother blinked confusedly. "DoñaAgueda? Why is this name so familiar to me?"

"She's the mummified lady on Desengaño street," The other nun brought in as if it were normal to talk about ghosts.

"Thank you Sister Remedios. Go on, please."

"I replaced one of the priest's followers and sabotaged the invocation."

"You say you sabotaged it? And what procedure did you use to do something like that?" she asked very slowly.

"At the altar there was an object with the symbol of the lord of demons they wanted to summon. I changed it to another symbol and recited a ritual in Aramaic."

Sister Remedios looked at him stunned. "I'm not going to ask you where you learned the words of the ritual, because I think I know the answer, but. What did you put in the place of the symbol?"

"The seal of the Archangel Michael."

"The seal of Saint Michael the Archangel." repeated the woman in a whisper.

The superior mother recovered from the surprise before her companion, who kept muttering in amazement. "And tell me. Who came?"

"Well, it had a white fire sword and huge wings, so I'd say it was St. Michael."

"And you say it as if such a thing was nothing. Does in your home dreamer mean the same as crazy?"

"Ehh... I can't tell you."

"The seal of Saint Michael the Archangel," Sister Remedios repeated for the third time nodding slowly. Then she looked at him and started making a strange noise. A few seconds later she laughed aloud. The superior mother tried to restrain herself, but she could not, and a moment later she cried with laughter. Diego stared at them with a silly smile.

"La madre que lo parió!"(3)

"Sister, such language."

"Excuse me, Mother," Sister Remedios said without ceasing to laugh.

Almost a minute later they both regained their composure.

"We've been praying all night for that little girl. It's a miracle you brought her."

"Can you find her family?"

Their expression changed abruptly, they looked at each other, and Sister Remedios responded. "We'll take care of her. We're not looking for her family. The ritual requires that the girl be bought from her father or mother."

Diego ran out of breath for a moment. "Did they sell her?"

"Poverty wreaks havoc on many families and some people don't deserve to be called parents."

"But whoever sold her didn't know she was going to be killed. Didit?."

"No, there would be no point in telling the seller. Surely it thought she was going to some house of bad repute."

Diego paled again. "She's a little girl."

Sister Remedios looked at him compassionately. He seemed so young and so innocent.

"I don't know if you know what you saved her from."

"Well, I know they were going to kill her."

"It's much worse than that. They would have practiced necromancy with her, tying her soul to her body so she wouldn't be able to leave. They would have interrogated her to know secrets that only the dead can reach, and then they would have left her trapped in her decaying corpse."

Diego began to feel nauseous. The mother intervened. "On two occasions we have been able to find the victims and incinerate them to free their souls."

"When Agueda asked me for help, she didn't tell me."

"Perhaps she thought you didn't need any more motivation. By the way. Where is she?. When she came to ask us to pray for you, she said she'd accompany you back."

"She helped me during the ceremony and I think that's why St. Michael told hershe could go with him."

"Well, then you have saved a life and a soul. You should be satisfied."

Sister Remedios shook her head. "He has saved more than one life. That temple is dismantled, and I don't think they'll make any sacrifices there again. What happened to the book?."

"There was only a pile of ashes left."

Mother Maria Luisa looked at him very seriously. "I don't know to what extent you are aware of the danger you have been in. Luckily your friend warned us, not just us but all the convents and congregations in the city, asking us to pray for you. Without these prayers I very much doubt that St. Michael the Archangel had intervened."

"I know, I heard you praying. There were many of you."

For a few moments the two nuns looked at Diego as if he were a rare animal.

"Well, señor Dreamer. I invite you to have breakfast with us, and then you can go home. Youhave to be tired after all this hustle and bustle."

"I forgot. I took this." He put the heavy bag of coins on the table. The mother superior opened it.

"There's a lot of money here."

"I suppose you'll have a lot of expense feeding all those kids. Besides, maybe they could set aside an amount to make it the girl's dowry, in case she wants to get married or enter a convent when she grows up."

"I think it's an excellent idea. Let's go to the dining room. The sisters of Santa Clara sent us some baguels. Have you ever tasted them?"

Notes:

(1) Cibeles fountain on Paseo del Prado. At that time it provided drinking water. The waterers assigned to that fountain took it from the bear-shaped pipe and other people from the dragon-shaped pipe.

(2) Currently Madrid History Museum. Fuencarral Street, 78. There is a model of Madrid made in 1830 where you can see the layout of the streets and buildings as they appear in this story.

(3) The translator says: the mother who givebirthed him. I´m afraid I cannot translate the nuances of this sentence meaning. Another webpage suggests "Holy cow!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11. Back home**.

On the long boat trip Diego had a lot of time to think.

_Every woman in my life walks away from me. First my mother, then Francisca... I even miss Agueda. And now Zafira._

He was on deck for a long time, until he saw the waning moon coming out. He finally decided to go to sleep.

Agueda's musical voice snuck into his dreams.

"Hello, it's easy to find you, I think this is why they call you a dreamer."

Diego looked around and saw her. She wore shining armor and a sword almost as tall as her, so polished that it looked silver.

"Isn't that sword too heavy?"

"Not the way you think."

"It's been a long time since double-edged swords have been used."

"Let's say my boss is very attached to the traditions."

"Are you coming to teach me old fencing?"

"No, I'm just here to talk to you. You said you missed me."

"Maybe the mother superior was right and I'm a little crazy, but I consider you my friend."

"I'm your friend, don't doubt it. You have my eternal friendship."

"At least I have a real friend."

"You've got more than one friend around here, and you know it."

"But I can't keep the people I love close to me."

"I know what happened, and if something has stopped that girl, she probably wasn't the right woman for you."

"Maybe I'd better not fall in love again."

That sentence made her laugh. "As if you had a choice. No one has. I'm going to do a little cheating, and I'll tell you, you'll find a woman willing to do anything for you. Even forgive your follies."

"I don't think that woman exists."

"Of course she does, you are a lucky man. You actually have a good hand with women. Do you know how many were praying for you that night?."

"I don't think the nuns count, and no, I have no idea how many of them they were."

"There were 999 of them. They asked me to do the recount."

"You were there too, so you were actually 1,000"

"All right, 999 nuns and a ghost. See?. Your own army."

In the morning he barely remembered scraps of the dream, but he didn't feel so alone.

zzZzz

_Well, nothing like a threat to welcome_. After his first meeting with the alcalde, and with his father and señorita Escalante in prison Diego considered his options. Felipe took him to the cave, and there he saw it, a little fox. This time it was a real one, not an elusive shadow. Could it be a coincidence? He didn't believe it.

The animal made a noise and Diego realized that Felipe had heard it.

Felipe told him that he had regained his hearing months ago, but that he had not told anyone. Not even Don Alejandro.

"It's wonderful. You have to tell me what happened."

Felipe looked at him somewhat confused and by signs he indicated that several months before, around dinner time, he began to hear voices praying. They were like an insistent whisper. Then the voices stopped, but he could still hear what was going on around him.

"Are you sure it happened in the afternoon?"

Felipe nodded very earnestly.

"Sure, Earth´s rotation." said Diego.

Felipe looked at him strangely.

"I'll explain later, when you take astronomy lessons."

zzZzz

Diego reflected in the cave, and at last made a decision. He consulted one of his magic books, and then opened the trunk he had taken there, looking for the black silk he had bought in Spain to make a ritual robe and continue his studies.

_Maybe I could give it another use after all._

The mask was the most important thing. He thought it would be best if he covered all his hair. Before putting it on, he pencil-drawn a five-pointed star. It was black on black, so no one would see it, but it was there and that was the important thing. In addition, the medallion with the star was placed on the belt of the sword.

Concentrating on the minor exile, he approached Felipe. He couldn´t recognize him until he took off his mask. The veil worked fine. If Felipe was to hide that he could hear, he thought it best to teach him how to use it, too. The boy didn´t have his own veil, but he could use Zorro´s.

zzZzz

The alcalde wasn't a good swordsman. His father and señorita Escalante hadn't recognized him. Tornado was the best horse He had ever seen, and everyone seemed to believe that he had changed during his stay in Madrid and did not want to fight.

_Why do I get the feeling that something's wrong?_

He hadn't noticed that smell in a long time, candle wax and roses. He concentrated on the door with the symbol of the star. The door opened and a woman walked through her smiling."I wish I could hold you. But. Can you tell me what you're doing dressed like that?"

"I had to help my father and señorita Escalante. The alcalde is an unscrupulous tyrant."

"Dressing up is a very absurd idea. And how do you think of turning a horse into your familiar?."

"My guide took me to him, so I thought it was special. Can't a horse be a familiar?."

It seems that now it´s possible, but no one knew because no one had ever thought to do something like that."

"He's a magnificent animal."

"It's too big. The least discreet thing there is. In addition. How many stars have you put in the harnesses?."

"I didn't know how many it would take to protect him. The cat wore only one, but she was much smaller."

"Diego, I understand you decided to do something, but I think this has gotten out of hand. What worries me, though, is that you're not going to tell your father."

"He wouldn't understand."

"You should give him a chance. Besides, it's not right to woo a woman wearing a mask."

"I'm not courting her. I only show a very different personality than I show when I don't wear the mask. It's nothing serious."

"A different personality?"

"Yes, I just have to think about what my friend Agustín would do."

"And that's why you swung from a chandelier?"

Diego heard a noise of footsteps and a childish laugh across the cave.

"Is there anyone else around here?" he asked.

"Yes, she's your sister."

"She was a baby."

"Somehow it looks like she's grown. She'd be ten years old now."

"Isn't she with you?"

"No, because I don't know how to find her. Something separates us. I believe she'd come to me if I could call her by her name, but I can't remember."

"Father told me that she died before she was born and did not come to have a name."

"My memory is clouded, but I'm sure I noticed her breathing. I wanted the father to baptize her, but he didn't make it in time. As much as I try I can't get back to that moment, it's too close to my own death."

Diego saw his mother begin to fade. The visits that she could make were short.

"I'll try to find out," he whispered just before she disappeared.

zzZzz

_Why does everything seem like the same thing every time I act like Zorro? The alcalde, Victoria, my father, the soldiers, and even the bandits. Everyone always behaves the same. I'm like one of those ghosts, trapped in a replay._

Diego took off his mask and left it on the coat rack, along with the black clothes. He went up the stairs and walked into the living room after checking it was empty. He started playing a melancholy sonata. Only two days to go before All Hollow´s Eve.

_Tomorrow night I'd start seeing them again. I hope I will not have to ride like Zorro. For two days I could not help but see the spirits around me and could be distracted at the most inopportune time._

zzZzz

"Diego, it looks like you haven't slept at all tonight. Have you been reading late again?"

Diego stopped stirring his coffee and looked at his father a little absent. The fact that there were two ghosts in the dining room telling him two stories at once didn't help him follow a conversation. He wondered how Francisca could bear to live like this continuously. He worked to summon the minor exile and the voices almost went out.

"I've just slept badly, father."

The bald man's ghost was angered because Diego wasn't listening, and one of the paintings fell off the wall.

"Is there a window open?"

_No, it's a door to the other world. Luckily it'll close tonight and I'll be able to sleep_. Diego thought. He looked at the irritated ghost and shook his head. The ghost continued with his speech. A girl in a light green dress went through the wall and stared at Diego with her big brown eyes. She waved at him, but she didn't say anything. Then she vanished to appear a metre to her right.

"What's your name?" whispered Diego.

Don Alejandro looked up. "Did you say anything?"

Diego shook his head. The girl disappeared again and when she returned she was on the other side of the table. He pulled Don Alejandro's napkin.

"What's going on, why is so drafty today?"

Diego massaged his temples while trying to clear himself up a little bit.

"If you're going to come to the mass for the deceased, we'd better take the wagon. You could fall off the horse along the way."

"We will take it if you want."

zzZzz

After putting on his dark blue suit he sat in the wagon next to his father. Felipe got in the back. The church was overcrowded, although half of the attendees could not see the other half. Diego wondered if it was a good idea to get his gift back.

Don Alejandro spoke to his friend Matías and they decided to go to the tavern for a drink.

"Padre Molina. Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, don Diego. Come with me to the garden. At this time of year only daisies are growing, but it is still a joy to have some flowers."

They got a little away from the others. "Tell me. Is there anything you're worried about?."

"Yes, but I don't know if you're going to like it."

"I suppose you see them again, as when you were a child. I'm afraid if you've admitted them again, I can't do anything else to bring back peace."

"It's not that, I knew what I was doing when I made my decision. I wanted to ask you about my mother and sister."

"That was a long time ago."

"I know, but I need to know the girl's name so she can rest."

"Have you been calling her? The rest of the dead should not be disturbed."

"I haven't called her, and what I want is precisely to help her rest, but for that I need her name."

"Necromancy is a terrible sin."

"I know what necromancy is much better than you, and I assure you it's not what I do."

"I'm afraid I can't help you. I didn't get there in time to baptize your sister. She died without a name."

zzZzz

In his dream Diego decided to enjoy the sea breeze a little more before opening his eyes. He was in front of the beach, and he estimated that it was half an hour before sunset.

He saw two figures walking through the sand. His mother moved awkwardly, with the typical walks of a pregnant woman. His father smiled and Diego realized that he looked much younger, not just the ten years he knew had passed.

"Let's sit down for a while." he said.

"If we sit down then you'll have to help me get up, or I'll stay stuck here."

"I'll do anything you ask."

They sat on the shore and she stretched out her legs so the waves would wet her feet. "My ankles are swollen."

"You look beautiful."

They kept talking, while Diego looked at them in silence, though he knew they couldn't hear him. It was just a memory.

"If we have a child, we could call him Gabriel, like your father." Elena said.

"But she could be a girl, as pretty as you."

She looked at the horizon, the sun was beginning to touch the surface of the ocean.

"I'd like to call her María del Mar."

While still seeing the couple sitting in the sand, he saw his mother walking towards him.

"Didn't you remember this moment?"

"No. When you die, you leave a lot of things behind. Feelings remain, but details run away."

"Will it be enough to call her?"

"I wish I knew. We can only have faith."

Diego awoke from his sleep, but it was already day 3 in the morning and unfortunately the presence of the girl was so weak that he assumed that he would have to wait almost a year to try to talk to her.

zzZzz

Diego felt so guilty he could hardly breathe. His father fought for his life in that bed, and he had not been able to prevent him from being harmed. He felt his mother's presence in the room. He also seemed to hear the noise of a few steps and for a moment noticed a slight aroma of vanilla. Maybe his father wasn't fighting that battle alone.

He spoke to him, telling him that he was Zorro, but he realized that there were parts of his life that even in those circumstances he was not able to tell him. When at last Don Alejandro was out of danger he decided to try to call the girl. Her presence was very weak, but it was worth a try. Protected by the five-pointed star he whispered her name.

"María del Mar."

The door he imagined opened slightly, and it seemed to him that a brown eye spied along the edge. For a moment his breathing accelerated, thinking that it might be another creature that was trying to cross, but he managed to control himself and approached the door.

"Hello, little sister."

The door opened a little more and he saw half of the girl's face, which was still crouching behind the wooden door. Her presence was different from that of other, more defined ghosts. She seemed to jump from place to place instead of scrolling. A few moments later she vanished.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12. Acceptance.**

For days he had tried to contact his sister, but her presence was always erratic, as if she had no strength to stay long in the same place.

When he returned to the cave after capturing some bandits and leaving them tied on their horses in the direction of the village, Diego noticed that Tornado was restless.

"Quiet, boy, " he said, patting his neck. As he dismounted he saw a blurry shadow running down the wall. He followed it with his eyes and saw the fox sniffing a girl's hand. She seemed more solid than the last few times.

"María del Mar, hola."

She looked up at him. "Is it yours?" she asked, pointing to the fox.

"It's not my property, it's a friend."

"Do you think it could be my friend too?"

"I'm sure it could. Besides, I'd like to be your friend too."

"But you're mad at me, just like father."

"We're not mad at you. Why do you think that?."

"She died because of me."

"It's not true, it was inevitable. Many women die trying to have a child."

"But if I hadn't existed, she would still be alive."

"We can't know that."

"Then. Don't you hate me?."

"No, I would have actually loved having a little sister."

The girl began to fade, but on her lips, she hinted at a smile.

"Wait, please. Mother's looking for you. She wants to help you."

As he turned he saw that Felipe looking at him with his eyes wide open. He hadn't realized he had entered the cave.

"When did you come in?"

_I was here all the time, practicing that you don't see me_. Felipe indicated by signs. _You were talking, but not a person here_.

"Sometimes I see people who other people don't normally see."

_Magic, too? Only you see?_

"I've met other people who could, but not many."

P_eople only you see are dead?_

"Yes, they are."

Diego saw Felipe´sexpression and knew he had believed him, and somehow he also knew what the next question was.

_Have you seen my parents?._

"I'm so sorry, but no, for a long time I couldn't see them as I do now."

_But you found me._

"Yes, because something led me to you, but then I didn't know clearly what it was."

Felipe stopped to think. _If you see them, I'd like to tell them._

"If I see them, I'll give them whatever message you want."

_Tell them my head has forgotten, but my heart has not. I miss them though I don't remember their faces._

Diego could only nod, too touched to answer. He hugged Felipe, who did not resist as he did the other times. Then the boy seemed to remember that he was no longer a toddler and headed for Tornado to brush him, pretending nothing had happened.

zzZzz

Diego was devastated. The death of his master was more than he could bear.

"Aha, so this is why you didn't want to kill anyone, so they wouldn't come to you with claims."

Despite his sadness Diego could not help but smile at the comment.

"Sir Edmund, I expected you to find peace. Is there anything I can do for you?."

"I know where I should go. I just came to say goodbye."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

"Boy, I've talked to several people who know you and we all agree that you have to learn that you can't save us all."

Diego nodded, sad and tired.

"By the way, I like the way you decorated the village. You leave your Z-shaped signature where everyone can see it and the five-pointed stars where they barely can be seen, but from this side they glow with silvery light. The truth is, they're very pretty."

"Felipe has also put a few when no one looked."

"That trick would have been very useful a few times."

Sir Edmond began to fade.

"Goodbye Diego. Take care of yourself, and don't get in more trouble than necessary."

"I'm afraid it's a little late for that."

zzZzz"

"Diego. Diego! Where are you?. María. Have you seen Diego?"

"He was in the garden a moment ago."

"Thank you."

Diego was focusing on the scent of roses. It always made him feel like his mother was around.

"Father. I need to talk to you."

"I need to talk to you, too. We have to go tomorrow to repair the fence we put in the North field to prevent the cattle from approaching the ravine."

"Sure, I'll go with you."

"Well," said Don Alejandro somewhat surprised at the lack of resistance. "What did you want to talk about?"

"About my sister."

"I've told you so many times. There's nothing to talk about."

"She's here, in the house. I can see her."

Don Alejandro turned to leave the garden, but Diego insisted. He couldn't give up. "She feels guilty."

"Stop talking about her as if she were real."

"She is real. She's trapped and needs your help."

"How often do I have to tell you I don't want to know anything about your spells?"

"What are you afraid of?"

Don Alejandro turned to his son. He was pale in anger. "I'm not afraid. But I know nothing good can come out of this. A witch almost killed your mother when you were born. She fled the house, but I reported her to the authorities. Unfortunately, they didn't manage to catch her. The doctor said that probably what she did to your mother left her weak and that's why she bled to death in her second delivery."

"Why did she do something like that?"

"She wanted you. She tried to trade you for another baby, though only God knows where she got that wretched creature."

"Was there another baby?"

"Yes, our maid saw him, he was a child with a cross-shaped birthmark on his leg. For a while I thought maybe she had changed you and that other baby was my son, but your mother convinced me to do a ritual with a drop of your blood and another of mine, and confirmed your identity."

Diego nodded. He knew the ritual, but he preferred not to tell his father.

"And what happened to the other child?"

"That witch ran away from the house before Evelina could come with one of the servants and catch her, so she took him, I don't know what happened to him, and I don't want to know. The point is, I don't want witchcraft in my house."

"Father, that's unfair. You're a soldier, and you know there are two sides in a war. Do you think my mother was evil?"

"Of course not. How can you ask that?."

"I'm like her, not like that other woman."

Don Alejandro breathed agitated. For a while he didn't say anything. "It's all right. Tell me what you need from me."

"I need you to come with me to their grave."

"Right now?. The cemetery will be closed."

"It doesn't have to be inmediate. We can go tomorrow, or if you need it, I can wait until you're ready."

"We'd better go tomorrow, before I change my mind."

Diego got up early and took roses from the garden, they were intense pink coloured. Then he met his father and together they rode to the cemetery. There was barely a slight breeze blowing. As they approached the tomb he concentrated on the symbol of the star and called them. He could see his mother next to the tombstone, wearing a yellow dress and a hat. She looked at Don Alejandro sweetly. Diego looked at her and deposited the roses at the base of the tombstone.

"Is your sister here?" asked don Alejandro.

"Not yet, she always needs more time. But mother is here."

"She can't rest either? Why?."

"She's waiting for María del Mar."

"How do you know we were going to give her that name?"

"Sometimes I can see fragments of the past."

A familiar shadow passed among the nearby trees. When Diego looked over there he saw the girl.

"Can you see her?". Diego said, addressing his mother. She shook her head.

"See who?." Don Alejandro asked feeling confused.

"My sister is among the trees, but mother can't see her."

In kind voice he addressed her. "Come closer, mother is here."

"I can't see her." said the girl.

"But she's here, I do see her."

The girl approached cautiously the roses deposited next to the tombstone. "They smell good." Then she turned to Don Alejandro.

"She's looking at you. Can you tell her you don't hate her?"

That surprised don Alejandro enough to suspend his resistance for a moment. "Is that what she thinks of me, that I hate her?"

Diego nodded.

"I always dreamed of having a girl. I would have loved her with all my soul." He tried to hold back the tears.

The girl looked up at him, hopeful.

"She's there, I can see her." His mother said. The girl turned to her and smiled. They approached each other, doña. Elena embraced the girl and together they vanished.

"What happened?". Don Alejandro asked.

"They're gone."

"And now they rest?."

"I hope so."

"Let's go home." said Don Alejandro in a weary voice.

"I want to put her name on the tombstone."

"All right, but you must promise me something. This is too much for me. I've done it for them, because they're my family, but I don't want to hear about these matters again."

Diego closed his eyes, hurt, but could not refuse. "As you wish."

zzZzz

He had spent all day working on the fences, but still decided to spend the night tracking down thieves who had assaulted several travelers on the Santa Paula route.

He moved far enough away from the Angels, and the area wasn't that familiar, yet he was able to track them down. When he thought he couldn't continue, he saw the fur of the fox shining silver in the moonlight and knew where they were headed.

Tornado moved cautiously, but with a firm step on the uneven terrain. Soon the footprints led him to a small valley between two hills. Diego heard voices and decided to dismount to approach on foot. He took two small sacks that he was carrying hanging on both sides of the chair, and headed for the voices carefully.

"He only had twenty pesos on him."

"That's no reason to beat him up. You can't get more milk by beating the cow."

"Now you're worried about the people we assault?"

The voices were unknown to him. If he had never faced these men, the risk of being discovered was greater. Diego stared a little longer. He only saw three of them and some rumors were about five men, although it might be an exaggeration it was better to be cautious.

He motioned for Tornado to get close to the trees. In the dark it was very difficult they could see them, but he still concentrated on the star to cloud their view. As he circled the clearing he saw a fourth man, sleeping within walking distance of the fire.

He whispered a few words as he approached the horses. One of them snorted nervously, but luckily it did not alarm the men. Just as he feared there were five horses. Did that mean there are five men or that they had stolen an extra horse?He thought.

He whistled and Tornado went through the clearing at high speed, neighing and kicking. At the same time Diego approached the fire and emptied both sacks of wet sand over it, extinguishing it. Then he went back into the darkness.

The men screamed in terror and Diego was able to confirm that there were only four of them. He climbed a nearby rock and weighed his chances. One of the men had approached the horses while two others tried to light a fire. The fourth one was with its back resting against a tree and a knife in his hand, looking in all directions expecting an attack that did not arrive. He decided to leave himfor last.

The whip cracked in the air and the man trying to get on his horse fell to the ground heavily. He tied his hands behind his back and gagged him. With another whistle Tornado re-entered the clearing and kicked the ground trampling the branches that the other two men tried to pile. One of them directed his pistol at the horse, but Diego disarmed him with his sword while Tornado kicked the other man. Both ended up bound and gagged just like their partner. There was only one left.

"Throw the knife, " said a grave voice from the darkness.

"Please don't kill me." groaned the bandit.

"I'm not in the habit of killing anyone."

"But they say that you are a sorcerer and that you can call the demons to take the wicked."

_Well, apparently, my reputation precedes me_. Diego had to contain a laugh. "You will have to face justice of man. When you die, you will be brought to divine justice, like all of us, but I assure you that I will not summon any demon that leads you to hell. It's not that I can't, it's that most of them are not to be trusted." At his side Tornado snorted, and for a moment his eyes shone like embers.

The man burst into tears and threw the knife to the ground in front of him.

It was about two hours before sunrise when Diego arrived at the cave after leaving the bandits near the garrison and making sure they were found. Felipe was asleep in the cot they had put in a corner. Diego had told him many times that he didn't have to wait for him there, but Felipe didn't want to sleep in his bed until he was convinced Diego was fine. Knowing that the cot was uncomfortable Diego woke him up and told him to go to sleep. Felipe nodded and came out of the cave rubbing his eyes and dragging his feet.

Diego took the saddle from Tornado and brushed him. "You have to tell me how you've done that eyes of fire trick."

zzZzz

"The alcalde has created a new tax, it is unfair and we must fight it. You must come with me."

"Father, you know it's useless, it's just a trap to try to attract Zorro. All you'll get is for him to make fun of you."

"That's right, stay home with your useless _experiments _while others try to help people who need it. I wish I hadn't sent you to study in Spain."

From the tone of his voice Diego knew that he was not only talking about chemistry or geology when he used the word "experiments".

Don Alejandro walked out the door furiously and Diego stayed in the library, even though he knew he wasn't alone.

"I thought you were gone." Diego turned to his mother. She wore the same pale yellow dress as the other times he had seen her. She still smelled like roses and beeswax candles.

"María del mar finally rests. At last I could remember something important, that I baptized her myself just before she died. A friend of yours came to pick her up. She told me she volunteered. I still have unresolved issues here."

"Have you seen Agueda?"

"She didn't tell me her name, but she was redheaded, brown-eyed, she had a pretty oval face and wore armor and a huge sword."

"Yes, it was certainly her."

"Diego, I still think that you should tell your father."

"He doesn't want to know anything about magic."

"Because he doesn't know what use you're usingit for. He'd be proud of you."

"I'll find a way. I promise you."

Doña Elena vanished into thin air and Diego wondered if he could one day fulfill the promise he had just made.

The end

_Some of you maybe know that my favorite stories are reveals, these stories where Don Alejandro and Victoria discover the secret. In this one, they're far from knowing, but it's because I'm working on the second part. It's almost written, but I have to check it to fit all the supernatural elements. I hope I can publish it in a few months. Thank you for reading me, and thank you especially if you have made any reviews. You know, we authors love them. Don't get in any more trouble than necessary._

_Update: __The second part of the story is posted as "The Will of the Secret". I hope you decide to read it and in that case you enjoy it._


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